Biker Mice: Last Man Standing
by puppy dangerous
Summary: The Biker Mice return in this strange and twisted tale that follows tangled strings through space and time. Note- I'm having format issues with the final chapters here. You can read the whole thing at puppy-dangerous on deviantart
1. Chapter 1

1.

The first moon of the early evening lifts slowly above the broken horizon, it's swollen face casting the construction rigging into black silhouette. There is a sharp chugging sound as a generator rumbles to life. Bright bluish lights snap on. A gigantic, clawed machine adjusts itself on spindly legs and begins to dig again, twisting its body to deposit scoopfuls of dirt into the waiting truck.

Down the block, a young mouse, waist high, squeals and bolts frantically after a ball. Her father laughs. The front door of the house opens and mother appears, drying her hands on a dishtowel. A government cruiser pulls up across the road. A sleek, black four door machine that crouches on the road, it's grille snarling at them.

The father, who has bent down to pat his child on the back, looks over at it. He glances at the child, motions her back away, watches out of the corner of his eye as the doors open and two military mice get out. When one backdoor opens, disgorging a gray female mouse, his face narrows, ears pinning back. The expression flickers, then is gone. He tosses the ball in the direction of his daughter, then turns and begins to walk.

"Throttle?" Smoothing her skirt down the mother starts to step into the yard.

"Get back inside." He motions at her.

She ignores him as the two mice walk across the pavement. The child takes a few slow steps, then breaks into a run toward him.

"No, daddy!" She grabs his leg as he passes the mailbox.

"Go on. Go inside." He tugs at her gently, pushes her in the direction of her mother, a little louder, "Both of you."

"No, I won't let them take you! I won't!" She buries her face in his hip.

He pries her arms off, wincing, then kneels down to look her in the eye. "It's fine. Everything is fine. I may have to go away for a little while-"

"No, Daddy!"

"-but I'll be back soon, OK?" He brushes dust off of her whisker. "Come on. Who's daddy's little freedom fighter?"

"Me." She sniffs grudgingly.

He smiles. "There you go. Now go on, OK?"

She steps back, then looks over his head. Her eyes narrow to slits. If looks could kill, the gray female would have been a smoldering heap. Then she moves away from her father, walking back to stand in front of her mother who puts a protective hand across her chest.

"You're wanted for questioning in regards to-" the gray mouse begins, but he cuts her off.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Cut the crap, Lieutenant, we all know why you're here." He holds his hands out to her."Go on. Arrest me."

She glares at him for a moment, then grabs a shoulder and pulls his arm behind his back. She leans close as she snaps the cuffs on, her nose almost brushing his ear. "You can't stay away from us forever, you know."

"I dunno about that. You guys are pretty blind." He says with a smirk.

"Is that an admission of guilt?" She asks quickly.

"The only thing I'm guilty of is knowing the truth." He says, the smile still there.

She rolls her eyes. "You 'freedom fighters' are all the same. A bunch of twisted, paranoid conspiracy freaks."

"Tell me that after they've stripped this planet clean." His mouth pulls into a snarl.

She laughs. "When are you going to realize the government isn't out to hurt you?"

As he ducks into the back of the vehicle, he glances once again at his family. The two of them stand in the doorway, her arm still over the child.

...

"Please, give me one more chance, " Lawrence Limburgers vast purple behind waves in the air as he grovels. "I beg of you!"

On the viewer, he and Karbunkle flee into the transporter as a wave of fluffy pink creatures surges through the lab. The shot pulls out to show the tower collapsing into rubble.

Lord Camembert runs a webbed hand over his face.

"How much did this cost us?" He asks heavily.

His assistant Roquefort extracts a slender datapad from his robes and taps it lightly with one finger, then tilts it toward the chairman. Camembert looks down, glances up, double takes. His gills flap angrily. One hand clenches into a fist.

"Nothing but a failed venture!" Limburger protests from his place on the floor. "A minor miscalculation in the market."

The chairman is puffing up with rage and indignation. He lifts himself off the seat, one hand rising, the finger moving into a point as he prepares to thrust it at the fish cowering before him. "Limburger, you're-"

"Ah, sir?" Roquefort says quietly.

Camembert glances over.

"Due to his, ah, extensive record of service he is guaranteed a pension even if he is, ah, downsized." He taps his device quickly, then moves it into the chairman's field of vision. "This is the estimated cost to us over the next ten years even deducting the, ah, damages owed."

Camembert chokes. He closes his mouth and sits back down. His fingers drum on the side of his throne. "What do you suggest?" He asks finally.

"Well, ah, your Lordship, article 97248.572 of section 11187B of the law of acquisition states that any Executive who fails to acquire a given property within, ah, three attempts is subject to Article 29187C."

"And what is Article 29187C?" Camembert asks.

"Immediate, ah, Termination." The word carries a weight he seems to relish.

Camembert smiles. "Tell me, Roquefort, do we have a property that qualifies?"

"Well, ah, if we consider every technicality-"

"We do, Roquefort, we do."

"Then I think I have just the place."

Camembert looks down at the display. A small blue and green planet glows like a jewel against the

stars. His mouth pulls into a slow smile.

From his place on the floor, Limburger cranes his neck and tries to hear what they are saying. When Camembert glances over again he quickly looks back at the tiles. His own blue face looks up at him. From this angle his face looks positively bloated. If he makes it through today, he promises himself, he's going on a diet.

"Limburger!" Camembert says loudly, breaking him from his thoughts. He looks up. "Due to your...seniority, I've decided to give you another try."

"Oh, thank you, my lord!" Limburger crawls across the floor on his knees, grabs a beringed hand and kisses it fervently. "You won't regret this! I promise!"

Camembert smiles broadly. "No, I don't believe I will. Now go, prepare your...staff."

Limburger stands up and backs out of the room, bowing as he goes. "Thank you, thank you. I won't fail you again."

"Hmmm." Camembert murmurs as he waves to the departing Plutarkian. "Don't bet on it." Then, when the door has closed, to Roquefort "Make sure he doesn't succeed."

"Of course, sir." Roquefort smiles. "I have just the man, ah, mouse for the job."

Dr Karbunkle flips another lens down over his array and peers at the tiny fibers he is wrapping together with a pair of minute electronic tweezers. The transition from wire to nerve must be perfect, else electronic discharge will cause it to misfire and cause chronic malfunction.

A loud crash makes him jump. The machine, sensing his abrupt movement, kills the feed within a

nanosecond. The metal tips give a barely perceptible shiver.

Karbunkle untangles his hands from the controls and stands up with an angry noise. The abrupt movement leaves him breathless, sucking in air with a shrieking hiss.

"Woah, hah hah, sorry boss." Fred the Mutant pulls his foot out from under the fallen filing cabinet.

"Here." Karbunkle grabs a vial of experimental insect repellant from his desk. "Go (wheeze) play with this. The subjects say it's extremely irritating. Causes an intense (wheeze) burning sensation." He shoves the mutant toward the door.

"Whee-urp-he." Fred giggles as the door closes behind him.

Karbunkle rights the file cabinet and begins to pick up the scattered files. One of them has slid out like a spread of cards, as he shuffles them back into place he looks down and his mouth pulls into a frown. Throttles picture looks back up at him. He pokes the mouse on the nose lightly with one gloved finger, then moves it to stroke his eyes. Those eyes, those beautiful eyes...if only he'd had more time, if only he'd been able to make changes to his prototype. They were so close...

"Doctor?" A female voice.

He turns to see a young Plutarkian female in a lab coat. She holds out a small gray box.

"What is this?" Karbunkle looks down, flipping up the lid to reveal a neat row of thin discs, each imprinted with a picture and several squares of text.

"Updated contacts. For your mission." She says.

"Mission?" Karbunkle says, but then immediately is distracted as he flips through the contents. He pulls one of the TransCards out and stares at it. His mouth broadens into a wide and disturbing smile.

…

The deadlocked woman stands at the window and watches the earthling across the street. She's a feisty little hellcat but seems friendly enough. Charlie Davidson, her name is. The sign for the garage is old and faded, but she still seems to bring in business.

_Proximity alert_. Molly says from behind her, then there is a knock at the door. A tall woman stands on the other side, wearing a camisole and long skirt, her feet bare, lwavy hair falling in loose curls to the middle of her back.

As the door swings open, her form seems to shimmer, then drops. A Martian mouse stands there, her eyes shining in the dim light.

"Hello, Sofia." The woman says.

The mouse lifts her chin in greeting. "Hey. I have a favor to ask of you."

"Standard price?" The woman asks.

Sofia nods, then begins to explain. When she is done, she hands her a paper bag.

…

Laser fire sizzles the rock beside Carbines right shoulder. She twists and dives down behind the cover of a small boulder and leans back against the stone. Across the open space to her left, Rimfire hazards a couple rounds in the direction of fire.

"How's it look?" she asks.

"Not good. Ten, maybe twenty of them." He flashes her an image, dark forms against the sky at the top of the ridge. They are completely cut off from that direction.

Her eyes roam the area, looking for something to settle on. They are in an old, deep riverbed, under cover of a pile of large rocks that has fallen or been thrown in. The sides are steep and almost clear, if they try to climb they'll be done for. It has to be something here.

Someone sees her movement and fires at her. She ducks quickly around another rock, now hidden in a large crevice where the steep wall of the riverbed meets the rocks. She leans back against the wall, and her elbow punches right through. She jerks back, almost falls, then begins to dig at the dry dirt. It crumbles quickly, then falls away in large chunks. In a short time she has cleared it and a cool breeze blows through. A tall, wide concrete tunnel, part of the old water treatment system.

She flicks Rimfire. A confirmation, a few more shots, then she sees him come carefully around to her position.

Carbine pulls her lantern off of her belt and flicks it on. The light shines down into darkness, but the air is fresh. They walk slowly, their footsteps echoing, first in front of them, then behind as well. It feels like they have been walking for a long time, then a tiny spot of light appears. It widens as they walk, and they stop at the rim of the tunnel.

They are looking out into a wide, deep reservoir, still protected from the elements by a sagging screen tent that dribbles sand onto the metal floor. A ladder runs down the side. Carbine motions for Rimfire to cover her and steps carefully onto a rung. It holds, and she climbs down.

Standing at the bottom of the reservoir, looking up at the tons of sand separated from her only by thin metal cloth, the feeling is eerie. Sand has piled from a slow leak to her left, looking down she sees something and leans down to look closer. Scuffs in the sand, fairly recent, a clear space in the perfect dirt.

"What is it?" Rimfire asks from the tunnel mouth.

"It looks like we may have company." She looks around, expecting to find a door, or perhaps another tunnel, but the only other opening is simply a rectangular dip in the highest wall where water had once flowed into the tub, and no ladders or any other obvious way up.

She walks carefully farther across the floor, looking for other evidence in the dirt. Whoever was here, they were mindful to stay on the clear floor. There is very little to show someone else has been here, a small scrape, a tiny clear spot.

She takes a step and the floor creaks under her feet. She steps back and kneels down to look. A thin crack, it almost looks like seam in the construction of the floor. Looking down the line she sees another seam, then a thin rectangular piece. Getting close, she sees that one part of that piece is strangely shiny. She presses her fingers down onto it and there is a click, then it flips up into a handle.

"General?" Rimfire calls.

"Just stay there." She waves at him.

The door folds up out of the bottom silently to reveal a ladder. There is a sign hanging on the wall, she tips the flashlight down to look. "Warning: door only opens when reservoir empty".

While she is leaning in, she sees a glimmer of light, at first she thinks it is the refection of her light on a polished surface, but when she turns it off the light remains. An artificial light somewhere deep inside this place.

"I think there's somebody down here." She says. "I'm going to have a look."

She climbs down the ladder. Standing in a maze of pipes, she feels exposed and uncomfortable. She draws her weapon and moves with caution toward the light. The corridor turns, widens, then doubles back on itself. She can see the light clearly now. Part of the building has been blown away and she's seeing the sun. Well, that's how they get out, anyway.

She turns and starts to walk back when the floor under her feet gives way and she falls into a cave. Looking around, she sees a stairway against the wall that leads through an opening in the ceiling.

Rimfire senses her distress. "General?"

"I'm fine." She brushes dirt off of her pants. "I just fell."

Here, there is light again. But this light looks different. This light has a blue tint, clearly artificial. She's fallen into a natural cave, it narrows ahead and a large rock blocks her view, but she can see the light coming around the corner.

She approaches carefully, leans around to look. A massive metal shaft, probably the housing for the old pump, cuts through the rear end of a very large, tall cave. Around the base of the shaft hangs a row of lights.

There is other evidence this place is occupied. Old scavenged furniture is positioned around a table made out of scrap metal. She carefully steps out into the open, looking around. The walls are riddled with cracks and openings, there are plenty of places to hide. She could be being watched. But something has caught her attention, two picture frames on a flat rock. She steps forward and picks one up, brushing at the dust that has covered the glass. The picture is badly burned, she can just make out a female adult and child, mother and daughter, the fathers body terminates at his shoulder in a crinkled blackened edge.

That kid...she frowns. She looks familiar. Where has she seen her before? A memory pushes at the back of her mind, then slips away.

A tiny sound, a rock tumbling down a slope, and she quickly pulls back. There are no other sounds, but she decides it's time to go. She doesn't know who is here, or how many of them. Best to be cautious. They'll come back later with a party and explore.

As she is about to leave, she notices a splash of purple and green. A plant is growing in one of the dirt filled crevices, reaching toward the opening for light. Two purple spotted fruits hang from long stalks. Smiling, carbine pockets them.

She quickly makes her way back to the ladder and climbs back into the pipe room, then back into the reservoir where she motions for Rimfire to join her.

"What's up?" He asks.

"Somebody is living down there." She shakes her head vaguely. She still can't get rid of that thought that she knows that child...

She frowns in thought, then remembers the fruit. "Here." She offers one out.

"Oh, hey, torseg fruit." he takes one.

"You better eat it. They go bad right away. We'll take the seeds back."

For three days, a pack of Hyenas camps outside their main gate, just out of firing range, taking pot shots at the troopers as they pass. They try several times to amass the courage to strike at the base, once bringing two of their long legged walkers into the road before retreating again.

Carbine stands on the balcony of the main tower and watches their lights. Something strange is going on. Then her ears flick in puzzlement as she sees the walkers bobbing away, retreating at leisurely pace.

"General? The hyenas have left." A trooper says from the doorway.

She nods, acceptance and dismissal. She drums her gloved fingers on the rail. Then suddenly a thought comes to her, one she kicks herself for not having sooner, and she runs back into the control room. She brings up a map with a quick push of a button, the geographic hologrid appearing on the large table. She reaches out to touch the place they had been, the old water treatment plant...yes, of course, how had she not realized that before! It's just inside hyena territory. That little display had to have something to do with whoever is living there. Or was. She winces.

But are they there to protect one of their own until they can move, or are they themselves hunting for a potential hostage and prisoner? Well, that opening they went through is firmly on their land. At the very least it would be reasonable to go by and put a cover on there to keep the hyenas from sneaking in..

Tomorrow morning, she decides. She'll send a group out then. And if something happens, well, they'll just go from there.

She is turning from the table to leave when her hand brushes the touch optics and the display zooms in, smaller lines snaking over the surface in blue, green and gray. The outlines of old settlements, roads and buildings that had been there before the Plutarkian occupation.

Close to the water treatment plant, terminating at the river in blue, a soft green outline labeled 'city park'. Small blue circles indicate holding ponds for the treated water. When the city had been alive and active, this would have been a green area scattered with trees, the small ponds surrounded by wetland foliage. Children would have played there, older mice would have walked the softly sloping wooded paths and peered through mounted binoculars at wild animals nesting in the protected area.

A brown line- a footpath-crosses through the edge of the park into a group of houses. She taps the display closer and the addresses pop up. That feeling again, that house number. She has been there. The child firmly connects with the address. She focuses and reels her memory back. The kid. The kid had...a ball. And had seen them coming and come over. She'd been upset. And her father had...her father...father. The memory finally untangles itself.

Should she tell him? No, she decides, Throttle is busy with other things. She'll check it out herself, first, just to make sure. She doesn't think she could stand bringing him news of her death.

She is back out in the hall with no memory of leaving the room, walking fast. She triggers her communicator and barks orders.

She stops in the mess area to examine her current crew. They've been running interference with the hyenas all day and are tired. She doesn't need them. She's going to have to find someone fresh. Ten mice, she thinks. That would be OK. Ten well rested mice who can fend off an attack if the hyenas decide they don't want us here.

Well, there is the group of young mice they'd taken in a few months ago. They're adult, but just barely. Scrappy kids who had somehow made it on their own. They've been trained, but most of their experience lies in running away.

She grabs a passing trooper. "Go tell the new kids to suit up and meet me in the control room."

She returns to her quarters and quickly changes clothes, sliding into the light armor duster. Her eyes are very bright under her long hair. She pauses for a moment to straighten her shirt in the mirror, then steps out into the hall.

She walks into the control room to eight pairs of nervous eyes. The new recruits sit around the table, their ears low with uncertainty, fidgeting slightly when they see her. She pauses to examine them, then nods softly.

"We're going on an exploratory mission." She says.

One of them shifts, another coughs. They all look very young and small in the large room, their round ears laid back uncertainly.

"Yes?" She looks up from the display she has been setting.

"Erm, 'we', ma'am?" Their unofficial leader, a male named Ratchet.

"Yes, 'we'. Do you have a problem with that, trooper?"

"No, ma'am." They all suddenly look much relieved.

"This" she taps the map. "Is the old water treatment plant. This-" she taps it twice, zooming closely in, the white map of underground tunnels comes up "is a pipe that runs into the old Double River bed. As you can see, it runs right between our territories."

"So, we're going to go close it?" One of them ventures.

She looks up. The mice all look away. She smiles. "When we were there, we found evidence that it is being occupied. Possibly by a mouse or mice. Due to the recent hyena activity, I suspect they may have been found by the hyenas. We're going to go down and have a look."

"Now?" Ratchet asks, looking out the window. "It's dark."

"Exactly. It's two hours until moonrise. The bikes can navigate with infrared. We'll go in, look around, and get out before the hyenas even know we're there." Her tone is more confident then she is.

The young mice seem to relax slightly. Each member has been collected from the wreckage somewhere. And the prospect of investigating a scene that is doubtless cold puts them at ease.

A few minutes later the guard pulls open the door to the motorcycle corral. The machines rumble softly in the darkness of the large shed. Then one by one, like eyes opening, headlights flick on. Her bike pulls out of the throng and rolls up to bump her hand lightly.

She points to a group of bikes and makes a 'come here' motion. The older machines pull up, sliding to touch her like curious horses. Machines in name only, under their disguise of mechanical parts there beats a living heart. The troopers are inexperienced, climbing on uncertainly. The bikes move softly under them, shifting under the weight.

"Just leave them alone." Carbine advises as she puts on her helmet. "Try to keep out of their way. If anything happens, at any point, and you get separated then return to base. We'll meet up back here. Don't worry, the bikes know the way."

When she pulls out into the yard the bikes follow her. She turns the headlight off, the lights flowing past her die. Once outside the gates most of the new recruits turn on the night vision function on the helmet. Carbine prefers not to use it when she's riding, the yellow green blur of landscape flashing past tends to make her slightly ill. She knows her bike can see fine in total darkness, but it's still unsettling to ride without knowing where you are going. The road bumps past under her, once in a while the machine swerves to avoid some obstacle.

The motorcycles stay under cover as much as possible. Occasionally a rock looms up against the starry sky and moves past with only the echo of engines. The dark desert flashes past, speckled here and there with plant life where water breaks through the surface.

Then they are running along the edge of the old river bed, hidden in the shadows. The land opens up and her bike slows, hesitates, then there is sudden hissing sound and they are sliding down. Knowing better than to frantically spin its wheels and sink into the sand, the bike idles until they have stopped in the flat river bottom. She climbs off and rights the bike, then turns the night vision on and looks around.

Her team is sitting up at the top of the ridge, having pulled back slightly when the bank under her gave way. She can't get out that way, the ground is to soft. There is a firmer looking place where the bank has come down, making a slope that is manageable.

"See if you can go around." She says, motioning, "I'll meet you on the other side."

The bikes retreat, carefully nudge around the rocks and roll over the uneven ground to stop just across from the bank where Carbine guns the motor and rides back up. The sand shifts under them halfway up and the wheels hit something metal, wreckage of some kind. Probably a large vehicle.

The feel of the wheels changes, and she stops, the bike digging sideways into the dirt to avoid sliding away. She brushes sand away and her hands find something shaggy, recognizable under the dirt. She gropes for fabric, finds some, pulls hard, it comes away with a ripping sound. She pulls it clear and shakes it off. The pattern tells her it's from a hyena.

Dead hyena, most likely a walker then. Not a new kill on their part, though, they hadn't taken any walkers out in weeks. So, who killed this one? Or was it an accident?

No time to investigate now. She tugs the bike back upward and it finds grip in the soil, the back wheels skid then catch, and they are up onto the ground above the river bed. The stars swing right above her and she motions the team to join her again.

The rest of the trip is uneventful, almost to quiet. In the night above them, the earth glitters far away and blue. They pull back down into the river bed near to the opening. Rounding the rocks, they have access from the side opposite the one she had approached from.

She points to two of the troopers. "You stay here. Guard the opening. If you see anything, anything at all, that looks suspicious you call us."

"Yes ma'am."

"Same goes for you." She pats her bike lightly. It flicks it's ultra low beams on and off in understanding.

The tunnel glows faintly in the night vision, still fading to black at the limits of the helmets perception.

Carbine leans in to look, then pulls back out.

"You two" She motions. "Cover our rear."

The two mice turn, walking almost backwards as they start to move. The tunnel opens into the reservoir, and they climb down. It doesn't look like it has been disturbed much. They pull the maintenance door open and are down in the defunct plant.

Inside, the night vision gives her a clearer view than she had had the first time with her light. The pipes glow dull green. They make their way carefully back past the hole in the floor, through the opening and down the stairs. This time there is no light. The large tube appears against the wall. The furniture is still there, the area looks as though it hasn't been disturbed. The photos, however, are nowhere to be found.

"Lets go this way." She motions toward the other end of the cave. "See where that tunnel goes."

The tunnel is short, she can see stars almost immediately. Walking to its mouth they can see a rough path that leads down a steep hill. Leaning up, she sees a rounded rim cut into the rock. Below, a lake bed. An artificial waterfall. The path must have led behind the water when it was running. There was probably a sign that said 'authorized personnel', and a bunch of kids who ignored it to come up here and make out.

Lights flicker in the distance, almost unbearably bright in the night vision. She adjusts the controls to zoom in. It gets her just close enough to make out the forms of hyena walker, three of them. A smaller set of lights close to the ground, a land vehicle, is speeding away as they give chase.

"Somebody give me some night binoculars." She says, reaching back and opening and closing her hand a few times. She feels their weight press into her hand and lifts them to her eye, focuses.

Her heart skips a beat. As the vehicle swerves briefly toward her, she sees a flash of the driver. A female mouse. She zooms in, focusing, seeing spiky hair and bright eyes. She is running hard, avoiding shots, the headlights bouncing over the rocky soil.

Carbine whistles sharply. Away at the river bed, the two mice who have been guarding the tunnel entrance have started to get bored when Carbines bike abruptly turns over and shoots off down the tunnel, its light bright in the darkness.

"Change of plans." Carbine says.

"So, we're just going to go in there and attack them?" Ratchet asks.

"Not quite. We're going to go in and get a closer look." She opens the side of her bike and pulls out an adhesive mine. "These are our best weapon against the walkers. Target the ankles and knees. Once they're on the ground, we take off. All we're doing is giving her time to escape."

"Then what?"

"Then we see about the mouse. We can move faster than her, we should be able to overtake her fairly quickly."

Carbines bike pulls up behind her. She reaches out to touch it gently, listening for the other bikes now coming up around under them.

"I'll meet you at the bottom." She urges the bike to the edge, then pushes it. The machine leaps into the air, firing it's flight engines to come into a graceful controlled fall before striking the ground and rolling to a stop.

They run with the lights off until they can clearly see the chase. The land vehicle is trying hard to evade them, and has managed not to take to much fire, but it can't keep away forever. Only the rocky terrain, which forces the walkers to stay on its path instead of spreading out to surround it. As soon as they can herd it out into open ground the vehicle and its occupant are done for.

The bikes move easily between the rocks. She breaks the group in half and positions them on either side of the roadway. They can't set mines for fear of blowing the LV to shreds, so they'll have to wait and toss them at the walkers as they go past. The mice spread out at intervals of several yards to give themselves the best chance of success.

Headlights bounce down the road, then there is the rumble of the engine and the pounding of metal feet onto packed dirt. The LV shoots by, throwing small rocks up from its tires. Then the walkers run by.

One of the hyenas frowns, turning from the hunt. That sound...there it is again. Little clunks. Something about that seems very bad. Something about... "Jump!" He shouts a second before the first bomb explodes.

One of the walkers comes down right away, and another grinds to a halt with a broken knee. The third one comes around to cover them. It sweeps fire, preventing the mice from getting closer. Carbine sends the mice on the other side up the road, instructing them to draw fire.

"Who's fastest?" She asks, pulling a mine out.

A small white mouse steps up.

"What's your name?"

"Shank. Ma'am." He corrects himself.

She smiles. Appropriate. "You know what I want you to do?"

"Yeah." The mouse nods.

He takes a deep breath and bolts. They hyenas are all looking away, focused on the mice over there. The ankle of the walker is just a few yards away, then it's right there beside him. He snaps two mines on, enough to blow the foot clean off, then kicks off and is running back. He can see them standing there just behind the rock, in safety. Then Carbine is pulling the nearest one back, angling her gun over his shoulder, with a burst of terror he realizes they must have seen him. She fires just as he hits the wall and he hears one of them yelp sharply in pain.

The explosion flashes white hot, metal shrieks as it is twisted away, then the walker is wobbling on its one remaining leg as the crew bails. The machine shudders and falls in a smoking heap.

The land vehicle tears off down the road. The mice mount their bikes and follow. An explosion slams into the road just beside the vehicle, then smaller ones spark around the mice. They turn and see another walker quickly approaching. This one looks like a new improved version, it's legs heavily armored and at least twice the firepower. Then a second comes around a large rock and starts to fire.

"Scatter!" Carbine shouts. "Meet back at the base!"

The mice go off in all directions, some turning to fire back as the motorcycles flee. Carbine finds her path blocked and has to swerve back out onto the open road. An explosion throws her from her bike, and then they are separated by one of the walkers. She can hear it's engine throbbing as it swerves from side to side, trying to get around the walker as one of the hyenas shoots at it. The other turns the big guns of the walker on Carbine.

"Bye bye, rodent." He calls.

Lights sweep over her. The LV pulls up and the door pops open. The female mouse at the wheel motions to her. "Get in."

Carbine doesn't question. She bolts into the vehicle and slams the door. As the walker moves to pursue them, her bike shoots between its legs and paces them.

She leans back to look in the rear seat, where several weapons bounce on the cushion, including one of the hyena light missile launchers. She opens the roof hatch and stands up, anchoring herself on the seat, and fires back at the walkers. The first one swerves, but the missile hits the second one. The machine trips on its long legs and crashes down, tangling in the first walker and the both go over, belching black smoke.

Carbine drops back down onto the seat and looks over at the female driving. She's focused through the windshield, her mouth set in a line. She's pale brown with a spiky mass of mane, her eyes the curious clear blue of the desert people. Her clothes are foreign, a deep blue pilot suit tied off at the waist, sleeveless shirt and long striped arm warmers. She takes a hand off the wheel, fishes a pack of cigarettes out of a pocket and lights it, cracking the window.

"Thank you." Carbine says.

The female mouse doesn't respond, her eyes locked ahead. Smoke spirals up and slides through the window. She's to clean, Carbine thinks. And she smells funny, like canned air.

"Why are they after you?" She tries again.

One of her ears flicks, but she doesn't answer.

"My name's-" Carbine starts.

"I know who you are." The voice is harsh and bitter.

She slams on the brakes and turns the wheel, spinning the vehicle to a stop. She doesn't turn to look at Carbine, her hands tightening and loosening on the steering wheel.

"Is there-" Carbine starts, when the female suddenly leans over her and yanks the door open.

"Get out. Just...go."

Carbines bike pulls up beside the door, engine rumbling softly. Carbine turns to look at the young female for a moment again, wanting to say something, but then thinks better of it. She mounts her bike and watches as the LV pulls away in a spray of dust. Carbine sits on her bike for a second, looking after her. Then she pulls out, aiming her headlight toward home.

…

There is a shift, a movement in space-time, things coming together. The land vehicle evaporates into the air, leaving a ripple that echoes through the years. A medic who has been walking suddenly steps into the air and is gone.

….

A shadow breaks free from the rocky outcropping and rises against the star-flecked sky. Long hair blows in loose curls around her face. One side of the mouses mouth pulls up into a distinctly unpleasant smile.


	2. Chapter 2

2

An expensive silver sedan pulls up and parks in front of the Chicago Governors office. The driver hops out and hurries around to open the back door.

The passenger steps out. He is a broad man in a comfortable sort of way, with a wide pinkish face and silver hair swept back away from his high forehead. He looks like someones good natured grandfather, except around the eyes. There is something hard and keen hiding there, like a fish lurking just inside a reef. He leans back to look up at the building, brushing absently at his gray suit.

As he walks past, he smiles at the gardening staff busy putting in new flowers. They return the smile, but as he approaches their faces become slightly strained, and when he has passed the smiles flee from their faces and one of them gags.

The secretary looks up, then hurriedly taps the intercom button ."Mr Rancor here to see you, sir." She says, then smiles at him and motions toward the door "go right in, he's expecting you."

Once the door has closed, she grabs a bottle of air freshener and sprays the room. Her ruby red lips pull up into an expression of distaste.

"So, Mr Rancor-" the governor says.

"Please, call me Bob." he interrupts.

"-Bob, what can I do for you today?"

"I have a proposition." Rancor leans forward, his fingers forming a steeple in front of his chest. "One I think you'll find most...appealing."

An hour and a half later, he leans across the desk to shake the governors hand. "I knew we could see eye to eye. A pleasure doing business with you, as always."

The secretary watches him leave, then the governor walks out into the waiting room.

"Nice man." The governor says.

"Mm." The secretary says noncommittally.

"He's buying all of these abandoned properties now, you know, paying to demolish the buildings and putting in community centers. He even bought the old dump last month."

"Yeah, but.." the secretary waves her hand in front of her face. "He smells."

"Smells? He doesn't smell. Well, he may go a bit heavy on the cologne sometimes, but.."

"No, I mean the other thing. You know. Like..." she lowers her voice "like rotten fish."

"Oh don't be silly." the governor laughs and turns to leave. "I've never noticed anything like that."

"Yeah, well he smells fishy to me." The secretary says almost under her breath. "Very fishy."

...

Charlie pulls the pickup truck up to the garage and pauses, the headlights aimed at the front door, before pulling around to the side and parking. Someone has tacked a piece of paper up at eye level. She grabs the bag of groceries from the front seat and slides out onto the concrete. She unlocks the door, then pulls the paper off, reading as she steps inside and flicks on the light. The paper bears the RCO logo she's been seeing on construction sites lately.

'Sorry we missed you!' the printed note begins. 'RanCorp Construction has an exciting offer for you! We are planning construction in YOUR AREA and, to protect your investment, are offering DISCOUNT RATES on insurance! With our special RanCorp Construction Policy, you are fully insured IMMEDIATELY against all accidents and property damage! NO inspection needed!

Accidents hurt! RanCorp is here to help!

Please call to set up an appointment today!

Or visit us on the net!'

She crumples the paper and tosses it in the trash. Upstairs, she turns on the TV and starts to put the groceries away. She stops with the refrigerator door open, about to put the milk away.

"And in local news, Robert Rancor, head of RanCorp Construction, has released plans for construction on two new community centers and a public park within the next six months. Robert Rancor is best known for buying houses lost during the debt crisis and offering them back to needy families in his Rancor Rent to Own program, giving hundreds of families in the Chicago area homes.

In his most recent press release, he also expressed his intention to bring these same programs to Detroit."

A picture of Rancor comes up, the man standing in one of his bright green parks, the sun shining from a clear blue sky, hot air balloons lifting in the background as he smiles and waves at someone off screen.

Charlie narrows her eyes, staring at him. Wide face, wide body, and something wrong about the eyes. He has the eyes of a fish.

She pulls up the web site and clicks on 'RCO Insurance'. Skimming through the description, her sense of unease grows. The policy is incredibly generous, and states that if the property 'should be rendered unusable' the corporation will buy it at 25% above fair market price.

'Rendered unusable', she thinks. I of this is adding up to something she doesn't like at all. But she can't exactly just go up to his office and accuse him of being an alien. Not alone, at least.

Well, she's got work to do. Whatever he's up to, it can wait a few hours. She pushes the garage door open, letting in a breeze.

Looking across the street, she sees the woman who's been squatting in the abandoned building for the past few months. She's a tall, thin woman with an elfish face, who wears knee-length jackets and keeps her blonde deadlocked hair tied back with a bandanna. As usual, she is accompanied by an old black and white boarder collie, also sporting a bandanna, though hers around her neck.

"Hey, Zee." She calls, lifting a hand.

The woman raises her chin in greeting, glances both ways, then strides across the road. She leans against the doorway, watching as Charlie pulls open a tool drawer.

A nose touches Charlies knee. "Hey, Molly." She rubs the dog with the side of her foot.

Charlie stops with her hand on a wrench, turns to look at her. "You get around, right?" She asks.

"Sure." Zee shrugs.

"You know anything about RanCorp?"

"That construction company?" Zee raises her eyebrows.

"Yeah."

"They're OK I guess. I haven't heard anything bad about them." She glances around. "They're scheduled to come in here sometime, aren't they. I've seen the fliers."

"Yeah. They want me to buy insurance from them."

"Are you going to?"

Charlie shakes her head.

Zee nods. "That's probably for the best."

"It's just that he..." Charlie trails off.

"He what?" Zee pushes gently.

"Well, he reminds me of someone else."

Charlie looks at her, then decides there is something about the woman that seems...well, maybe not trustworthy. Wise. She begins to tell her a story she's never told anyone else.

….

"Martian mice?" Zee shakes her head. "You know what, you're out of your mind."

"I'm telling you the truth!" Charlie insists.

"Mars is dead. It's been dead for hundreds of years. There's nothing living there."

"But-"

Zee lifts a hand to stop her. For a moment her expression changes, flickers, then it is gone. "That's enough. I'm out of here."

Charlie watches her walk back across the minutes later, as she is putting the muffler back on a bike, she suddenly stops and drops her tool. "Son of a bitch!"

Charlie had told her a story that warranted an argument every other sentence, accusations of alien plots, the desecration of planets, space ships crashing into Chicago and teleportation, and what had she chosen to argue? And, Charlie slaps her head, she'd said hundreds of years. Not thousands.

Before she realizes what she's doing, she is across the road. She grabs the doorknob, expecting it to be locked, but the door opens with a rusty creak, exposing a warped set of stairs. The building has a strong smell of age and abandonment.

"Zee!" She shouts.

She can hear noise upstairs, and walks up. Light is coming from under one of the doors. She wonders if she has some sort of portable generator set up somewhere. Lifting a hand, she knocks. Molly barks.

"Yeah, some good you are." Zee mutters, footsteps come across the room. "Aw, Christ. Go home, Charlie."

"Not until you give me some answers." Charlie shouts through the door.

"Answers? You're the one with the alien fantasy."

Charlie kicks the door, which rattles loudly. "You know something!"

Zee pulls the door open. "Ok, ok, just chill out."

"You know about them!" Charlie accuses.

"What now?"

"The Plutarkians!"

"Charlie, listen...you should really just drop this." Zee says.

"Oh, that doesn't sound suspicious at all." Charlie snaps.

"Alright, look." Zee puts a hand on her shoulder. "You're right. There is something going on. And it's way bigger than you, Charlie. Bigger than me, too." Her fingers tighten. "I'll tell you about it, but not right now. Come back tomorrow." Something about her face makes Charlie back off.

Zee stands at the window and watches the woman walk back across the street and into her own building. She has a pointed chin and long, thin mouth that pulls back into an expression of mingled amusement and uncertainty. She turns sharply as a van pulls up outside.

For a moment she looks on, immobile, as three large men pile out and begin walking toward the garage. Then she makes a decisive sound and in a flash has passed through the door and is running down the stairs, the dog at her heels.

….

There is a knock at the door. Charlie walks over and peers out cautiously. Nobody there, but a package sits on the step. She waits a few minutes, then opens the door and fetches it. It's a small laptop computer. She flips it open and the screen comes to life. The wide, pink face of Bob Rancor appears on the screen. He smiles.

"Hello, Charlie."

She rolls her eyes. Another plea for her to buy insurance?

"I have someone here who would like to talk to you." The shot pulls back, and Charlie gasps.

Zee is tied up and gagged, struggling. Her eyes are defiantly locked on someone offscreen.

"If you'd like to see your little...friend again, I suggest you meet me tomorrow, two PM, in my office."

Zee shakes the gag free. "Don't! It's a trap!" The screen goes dark.

Of course it's a trap, Charlie thinks. But she has to do something. She was the one who got Zee into this mess, after all.

She goes back down to the garage and pulls the interplanetary radio off of the shelf. She hasn't used it in a very long time. She doesn't even know if it works anymore. She turns it on. The view screen doesn't come up, but static comes through the speakers. She turns the dial, hoping for something. Then she moves it to the channel they used to use to communicate.

"Come in." She says into the microphone. Static. She adjusts the frequency and tries again. "Come in, anybody."

This time there sounds like a response, something lost in the static. She fiddles with the tuning again.

"What was that? Repeat please."

"Te ke sa?" This time it comes in clearly. "Ado awwa, dashta?"

Martian. She recognizes it from the few times the mice hadn't been translating for her, filtering the language through their minds so she heard her native tongue. Dammit, she puts a hand to her forehead. They'd taught her some, but it's been so long now she can't remember.

"Is there someone there who speaks English?" She asks. "I'm looking for Throttle, Vinnie, or Modo. Or Carbine. Anybody?"

There is a long pause, then another voice comes through. "Hi, Charlie."

"Rimfire!" Charlie sighs in relief. "Are the guys around?"

"Uh...yeah. Hang on." There is a click, several bursts of static, then a tone that makes Charlie wince.

"Hey, Charlie." Throttles voice.

Charlie feels herself relax slightly. "Hey, sorry to bother you, but I sort of have a problem." She hesitates, unsure of how to go on.

"What's that?" Calm curiosity.

When she starts talking, it all comes out. Rancor, Zee, the whole story. She talks herself out and sits there, breathing hard.

"Whoah, hold on." She can imagine him making a placating motion with his hands. "Have you tried calling the police?"

"No." She admits.

"Well, why don't you try that." He suggests.

"I don't think they'll believe me." She says. "People who say evil aliens are taking over the Earth get locked up."

"I mean about your friend." Throttle says gently. "You have the video, right?"

She blinks. "Hold on." A moment later she has the little laptop in her hands. She opens the screen. Nothing happens. She pushes the power button. It's dead. "I don't think so."

"Look, go to the police, OK? And then call me back."

Charlie nods at the radio, realizes he can't hear her. "Ok. But, Throttle, what if they don't believe me?"

"Then we'll deal with that later."

She swallows. "Alright."

Charlie collects the laptop and gets back in her truck. She's thinking as she drives along. What will she say to them? Just her friend, she decides, she won't say anything about asking for information.

….

Half an hour later, a bored looking officer turns the dead laptop over in his hands.

"Let me get this straight. Mr Rancor sent you a hostage letter, telling you he kidnapped your homeless friend for no reason, and not asking for any ransom. On this computer."

Charlie sighs. "Yes."

"Well, you can file a missing persons report in 48 hours." He says.

"But she needs help now!" Charlie says.

"Ma'am, I'm sorry, but you don't have any proof, and we can't just go breaking down peoples doors for no reason. Besides, look at this. You're accusing Mr Rancor- the man who builds community centers and parks- of kidnapping."

Charlie grinds her teeth. "Is there anything I can do?"

"If your friend hasn't turned up in a couple days, then you can-"

"File a missing persons report." Charlie repeats. "Got it."

He hands a stack of papers over the desk. "Here you go, you can bring these back with you."

"Great."

Charlie leaves the station, frustration mingling with a sense of dread. He knows where she lives. Why hadn't he sent someone to grab her, too?

She notices a man standing near the corner, looking at her, and her heart starts to pound. She can take on a goon or two on her own, but if she gets nabbed...well who is going to rescue her? She starts to walk faster.

….

Carbines squirrel-bat, Fluffy, hops up on Throttles chest and chitters. He scratches it between it's little wings and it purrs contentedly.

Something is bothering him about Charlies call. Something other than a friend in distress. Something about the name of the man, or rather fish. It floats around in his mind, banging up against things, trying to find something to connect to.

He leans back on the couch and closes his eyes. Oh well, he'll figure it out eventually. He is on the verge of sleep when something rises from his subconscious. He senses its origin and instinctively pulls away, then stops himself. No, something here is important.

The wreckage of a group of houses, surrounded by a chain link fence. A logo, a sign on the fence. The image aligns with its English equivalent and he sits up so abruptly that Fluffy literally goes flying, chattering angrily.

He's on his feet and out into the hall, walking fast. He has to find Vinnie and Modo. Now.

….

"Hey. Hey!" Carbine shouts over the noise. "You can't just run off!"

"We gotta help her." Throttle pushes a crate into the back of the ship.

"No, you don't." Carbine grabs his arm, then sees his expression and quickly adds "You don't even know if she needs help. At least wait and see what she says after she talks to the police."

"She won't say anything." Throttle slams the rear port shut. "They'll be watching her. They know she went to the police. He's got her already."

"You don't know that!" Carbine says desperately.

"She's my friend!" Throttle says with finality.

"Is that really what this is about?" Carbine asks, searching his face.

Before he can answer, Vinnie shouts a greeting from across the hangar. "Oh yeah! Rescue mission to Earth!"

Carbine puts a hand over her eyes. "You're taking them with you?"

"Of course, sweetheart. Can't leave us behind." Vinnie tosses his bag into the ship.

"You to, Modo?" She says weakly.

"Sorry, ma'am." He shrugs.

"Nothing I say is going to do any good, is it." Carbine asks.

Throttle shakes his head, a slightly amused smile playing around the corners of his mouth.

Carbine sighs. "Fine. Go. Just, be careful, alright? Hurry back." She leans up and kisses him on the nose.

"Will do." he grins at her and starts the engine.

"Hey!" She shouts as he starts to close the cockpit door. He hesitates. "Don't wreck the ship this time!"

He makes a motion at his ears and mouths 'I can't hear you.' She groans. Might as well go ahead and write this one off, too.

….

Charlie turns to look over her shoulder, and the attack comes from behind. She can't see the guy, but he must be huge, a gigantic arm locks around her chest and arms and she is lifted off of her feet.

"Hello, Miss Davidson." A skinny goon in a suit steps around the corner. "Our employer would like to have a little talk with you."

A few minutes later, she winces at the bright light as the blindfold is pulled off. Robert Rancor sits across a desk from her, his face placid. A vague, foul smell turns the air acrid green.

"Now my dear, I thought we had an agreement." He smiles at her.

"I know what you're up to." Charlie says impulsively. "And you won't get away with it."

"Do you, now." His smile doesn't change.

They tied her, but the rope is loose. She works her hands around until they find the knot, then starts working at it, hidden between her back and the chair.

"I thought you guys gave up on Earth." she says.

He laughs. "Oh, no. We just changed tact. There are many ways to buy a planet."

"What are you talking about?" She asks, trying to keep him distracted.

"You must admit, it is a marvelously cunning plan." His smile is getting sharper around the corners. "My predecessors problem was he went about everything from the wrong angle. To own this country you don't need to own the property, oh no. You simply need to own the bank." The smile gets wider, his face wrinkling oddly to compensate.

"You..." she finally gets the knot, pulling her hands free. She is over the desk, grabbing at his face, her hands sink into the rubbery flesh, find purchase, then she is pulling it back, ripping it off.

The Plutarkian hisses and puffs angrily, his spiky fins extending. He leans across and grabs the mask out of her hands as two goons dash in to grab her arms.

"That's enough from you." he pulls the mask back on and adjusts it. "Put her in a cell. We'll decide what to do with her later."

Charlie struggles the whole long elevator ride, giving her captors a fight as she tries to calculate in her head. How deep are they? Much deeper than any basement.

They push her through the doors and through a small room, then into a short row of cells. She sees Zee sitting against the wall in one, then they are shoving her into another and activating the door.

Charlie starts to reach for the bars, then thinks better of it.

"Zee?" She shouts. "Are you OK?"

"Yeah." The voice comes after a second. "I guess."

"I'm really sorry I got you into this." Charlie says.

"Nah, 's OK." Zee calls. "I've just been waiting for you. Took long enough."

"What?" Charlie asks, surprised.

"Quiet down!" the guard snarls.

Several things happen in rapid succession. Zee slides her hand from her side around to her back. The wall behind her opens, swinging inward like a door, and she tumbles through. While the guard is gaping, a door opens in Charlies cell, Zee leans through and grabs her, then the door slams shut.

Charlie feels her mouth fall open. They are standing in a kitchen filled with warm yellow light and floral print wallpaper. The soft, dusty smell of old houses drifts down from the ceiling. Green oak branches cut through the blue sky through a window over the sink.

"Where are we?" Charlie looks around.

"Dreamtime." Zee says, then seeing Charlies look she smiles. "Come on, I'll show you."

They walk through a small breakfast room, the table cluttered with newspaper clippings. Then they step up into large living room, their footsteps muffled by what she thinks at first is uneven carpet, then she sees that it is layer upon layer of ancient Persian rugs. A fire under the large mantle crackles merrily.

Zee has stopped facing a line of windows covered with heavy curtains. She looks over at Charlie dramatically, then lifts both of her arms like Moses parting the red sea, and the curtains slide away.

The Earth shimmers in the star-cut darkness.

"We're in space?" Charlie asks.

Zee nods. "In an inter-dimensional ship."

"You're an alien?" This isn't really a question.

"Sort of." Zee smiles. "Depends on where you're standing."

"So..." Charlie casts her eye around. "Does that mean you're here because of the Plutarkians?"

Zee shakes her head. "No. Not me."

"Why are you on Earth, then?"

Zee gives her a look. "Nunya, that's why."

"Hey!" Charlie says suddenly. "We can go to Mars!"

Zee sighs. "We're not going to Mars. I told you, it's dead." Then, more gently. "Ok, look, you're exhausted. Why don't you get some sleep. We'll see about visiting Mars later."

Charlie doesn't like the answer, but doesn't feel she is in any position to argue. She follows Zee through a set of double doors and up a flight of stairs. She is greeted at the top by a misty midnight forest shining with the full moon. Barely visible doors are set into the walls. Zee pulls one open to reveal a perfectly normal looking bedroom, with a bed covered in faded blankets and an ancient dresser sitting against one wall.

Charlie sits down on the bed, not meaning to fall asleep, but soon her eyes have closed and she is resting silently on the pillow, the old blankets piled around her legs.

The house hovers just on the other side of the perceptible , floating on long feathers like the constantly scooping arms of some upside-down undersea creature. It's feeders close around discarded chunks of reality and pull them into a churning black hole of a mouth.

A long tendril extends, pressing through time and space to appear over the curve of a red planet. A light is moving- a ship, skimming over the surface, gaining speed. As it arches upward to break the thin atmosphere the tentacle snaps out, strikes with the precision of a squid. The ship shudders then breaks through the air into nothing.

….

Charlie wakes up with a start in her own bed. She throws the covers off and leaps up, heart pounding. Everything in the garage is normal, the bikes she's been working on sitting peacefully on the concrete, tools all in place.

She pushes the garage door open and bolts across the street, tugging open the door and running up the stairs. The doors are all closed and silent, and when she pushes on the one Zee had been behind it comes open with no resistance. The apartment is bare, dusty, as untouched as the day it was abandoned.

As she is walking back across the street she notices a crew of men pulling down one of the fences.

"Hey." She calls over, making her voice bright. "Watcha doin?"

"Rancorp went out of business." One of the men says. "Been all over the news."

Out of business? Charlie feels her spirits rise. That's the best news she's heard all day.

…

The young medic stumbles as the ground beneath her goes rough, stops to raise a hand and look over a strange, red landscape. Gunfire echoes in the distance.

Somewhere not to far away, she can hear voices. Carefully she begins to move toward them. Coming over a ridge she finds three mice crouched behind a rock.

One of them sees her and motions her over, a tall brown mouse wearing shades. "Over here."

She drops down beside them, her eyes flashing over light wounds. She pulls the bandage out of one pouch and starts to patch the nearest one up.

There is a sound and they all freeze. Footsteps. The white mouse twitches, his eyes widen, he raises his hands to cover his mouth as he stifles a sneeze. His eyes are bright, watering.

"What's wrong?" She hisses.

"I'm allergic to-" he pauses to clamp his hands over his mouth again "cats."

"Cats?" She echoes, her voice barely a whisper.

He nods. The leader reaches around to shush them.

The white mouse spasms, making a harsh sound as he tries not to make any noise. The medic moves suddenly, pulling something from another pouch she slams it over his face, squeezing a bulb at the bottom.

For a moment Vinnie looks panicked as his lungs are temporarily paralyzed, then she quickly switches out cartridges and pumps the other one. Vinnie gulps in air, the urge to sneeze gone.

"There." She whispers.

The brown mouse leans around, getting a good look at her. She's wearing a familiar uniform, though one he hasn't seen in many years.

The Cattarkians move away, leaving them sitting in silence. They wait a few minutes for them to clear, then the leader speaks.

"I'm Throttle, these are Modo and Vinnie." He motions with his hand.

Modo is staring at her, his one eye wide. He blinks, then looks away. She looks familiar, but young, very young. To young.

There is a strange shimmering. She reaches out as if to touch him, her hand breaking into sparkles, then she seems to vanish into nothing.

"That looked like Lilly." Modo says softly.

Throttle nods. "Yeah. She did."


	3. Chapter 3

3

For two weeks, Chicago sits in silence. The insect-legged digging machines have evaporated into the still air, the RCO logo has vanished, construction projects have been abandoned, they mysterious Zee has failed to make another appearance.

Her dog, however is another matter. Molly showed up the day after Zee left and has been hanging around ever since. She slinks in and out through the garage door, always managing to get in just before Charlie closes up for the night. She even takes to sleeping in Charlies bed, a courteous bunkmate she makes herself small at the very foot and moves immediately if touched.

Charlie is on the phone with Blackwood Motorcycle Supply when Molly starts barking. Not her usual welcoming yelp, this is an angry, deep baying that makes her sound three times her size. She leans around to look at the dog, who is focused on the door.

The door explodes inward. Three goons stand on the other side, one gigantic bald ape in a bowler hat and two skinny guys with weasel eyes and slicked back hair. They are definitely Limburgers new help.

"Miss Davidson." The more oily of the two addresses her. "We'd like to have a little talk with you."

Molly has stopped barking, and is emitting a low, deep growl. The goon looks over at her and sneers. He takes a step forward, his foot passing over the threshold of the door.

Charlie is about to bolt for her gun, but something is happening to Molly that makes her freeze. The dog is shaking violently, bubbling up. Is she having a seizure? Then something is rising up from her back, a swelling black blob that is suddenly all gigantic mouth and gnashing ooze stretches itself toward the men, waving like a serpent, grinning menacingly.

The goons stumble backward, surprised. They exchange looks. "Some other time, perhaps. Good day, Miss Davidson." They pull the broken door shut as they leave.

The black thing snaps back inside, and Molly shakes her hackles down and turns to look at Charlie, panting and wagging her tail gently.

"Wow." Charlie says weakly. "I didn't know you could do that." After a moment she adds "You aren't really a dog, are you."

_Establishing connection...connection established. I am semi- autonomous pandimensional unit Molly_.

Charlie jerks, raising a hand instinctively to her head. "Where's Zee?"

_Locating..._

There is another knock on the door, which swings open. Charlie freezes. Molly wags her tail.

"Hey." Zee lifts her chin in greeting.

"Where have you been?" Charlie explodes.

Zee shrugs. "Here and there, now and then. Look, I wanted to give you something. Kinda an apology for all that." She reaches into her coat pocket and pulls out a metal box, offers it out.

Charlie takes it and opens the top, staring at the contents blankly. "What's this?"

"Antidote." Zee says.

"Antidote? For what?"

Zee winces, then says "You'll know. Molly! Come!" She pats her leg, drawing the dog to her side.

She pauses, looking down at the animal, then turns, reaching into her pocket and handing charlie something else. "Here, take this, too."

"Do I get to know what this is?" She asks.

"Pan-di-bomb." She says. Then she turns and stats walking again. As she leaves she calls over her shoulder "You really should get this door fixed."

Charlie looks down at the box and bomb, then bolts for the door, pulls it open against groaning hinges and steps out into a completely empty street. Zee and her dog have gone.

She looks at the darts in the box, three of them, the kind with the red fuzzy stuff at the end. The hollow glass tubes hold a vaguely orange substance. She begins to search the garage for material to make a gun.

"This is Sweet Geo-rgie Bro-own comin' at you this half hour with the local grapevine. According to the rumor mill, The Big Cheese is back in town- that's right, construction has begun on a new Limburger Tower on the site of RCO Industries. And now for the weather-" Charlie is on her bike and through the door before she even realizes what she's doing, slamming on the brakes to run back inside and grab her new dart gun and canister of antidote, just in case.

...

On a balcony of the half constructed Limburger Tower, two forms stand. The shorter one has wrapped herself around the taller, long wavy hair blowing in the wind. They look out over the city in silence.

The rumble of a motorcycle makes them both turn. The shorter figure smiles sharply, her eyes glittering. She pats the taller on the shoulder. "Showtime."

...

Charlie stops abruptly as the tower comes into view. A great pinkish yellow expanse, breaking into a frame that terminates in two horns. Like the horns of a dilemma, Charlie thinks.

She hears them through her helmet, muffled but still recognizable, and feels her heart jump. She knows those bikes anywhere. She starts to turn, feeling herself smile. Two mice pull up blocking her path. For a second she feels a shock of laughter rising in her throat.

Vinnie and Modo are dressed in pinstripe, wide shouldered suits and saddle shoes. Modo sports a bowler hat. They look like old-time gangsters. The laughter dies in her throat when she gets a good look at their faces. There's something wrong. They're...hard. Flat. The normally round contours of Vinnies face have become sharp and menacing.

Vinnie reaches into his jacket. She doesn't believe what she's seeing until the muzzle of the gun is pointed at her, and then only training spurs her to jump and duck the moment before he fires. Charlie throws the bike forward, racing into an alley. She can hear one right behind her. The the alley ends in a brick wall, and she is trapped.

She turns to see Vinnie stopping Sweetheart and dismounting. He points the gun at her again. She's never seen that look on his face. He has murder in his eyes.

"Vinnie! Stop!" Charlie shrieks, dodging as he fires. She manages to take temporary refuge behind a dumpster, peeking out to see him approaching in an unhurried way.

Charlie remembers the antidote. Well, this seems like an appropriate time to try it. She draws her dart gun, leans out, and triggers the co2 cartridge. The dart strikes him in the neck. He brushes it off, takes two more steps, then hesitates. His arm lowers. He shakes his head, blinks several times, looks down at the gun in his hand.

"Vinnie?" Charlie hazards a peek out.

"Charlie-girl!" Vinnie seems confused. "Wait, you're not...whats going on?"

"I dunno, but we're in big trouble." Charlie glances around apprehensively. " Modo's still out there."

Up on the tower, Throttle watches dispassionately as Modo closes in on the two traitors. His mouth is drawn into a hard line. He leans around, pulling something long and thin from it's resting place against the wall.

The female mouses mouth twitches slightly, one ear flicks back. She regards him for a moment, then seems to make a decision. She turns away for a second, her hand lifting to her mouth. Then she comes back to Throttle, leans up, and kisses him deeply.

He tilts his head, starting to kiss her back, then hesitates. The sniper rifle slides to the ground. His face folds into a look of mingled surprise and disgust as he shoves her away. "Get off of me!"

"You better help your friend." She says, motioning toward the street below.

Throttle turns to look, and when he turns back she is gone. He puts his fingers in his mouth and whistles for his bike.

The rumble of the bike sends a shaft of cold into Charlies stomach. That's Throttle. He pulls up in the mouth of the alley just as Modo jumps down, landing in front of him. Charlie looks between them, unsure.

Throttle steps from his bike, his hair pressed back above the pinstripe suit he wears.

"Vinnie?" Charlie asks.

"I know." Vinnie growls. "I'm gonna take Modo first."

.Before Charlie can protest, Vinnie has fired. Modo's arm had been raising, but now it stops.

Vinnie trains the gun on Throttle.

"Easy, bro. I don't need another dose of that stuff." Throttle says.

Charlie feels herself relax. He sounds normal.

"What's going on?" Modo asks. "I thought..."

"I know." Throttle says quickly. "Look, lets get out of the open. We can talk about this later."

He loosens his collar and pulls the tie away from his neck, then runs a hand through his hair, ruffling it into the familiar cowlick.

"Hey." Charlie says suddenly. "You're not wearing your shades."

For a second Throttle seem confused, then his face clouds. Just as quickly it is gone. "Yeah. Don't need 'em anymore."

"Urg." Vinnie tugs at the suit jacket, then strips it off. The tie goes next, then the shirt, leaving him standing there in an undershirt and slacks.

Charlie laughs.

"You know, you guys do look pretty slick."

"Come on, Charlene." Throttle puts a hand on her shoulder. "Lets take this party indoors."

...

Space bulges and ripples. Slowly, a long tentacle extends from nothing, finds purchase, begins to pull. More tentacles. Then something massive, thin at first, becoming wider and wider until it forms into a great under slung jaw. On the top of it's head a series of antenna glow in eerie blue green. The creature resembles something that would live deep underwater, but it is gigantic, larger than a city.

This is the pandimensional ship Daye, a marvel of technology.

It hovers over the small red planet, extends a long tendril downward. Just as it touches the land vehicle, something snaps. A ripple extends through space and time.

The land vehicle and its occupant pop out of existence.

An orange-haired human woman sits in the control room of her ship. When she'd been made captain it had been all slick chrome and hard black plastic, now the seats have been ripped away and replaced with worn armchairs, the shining surfaces hidden under a combination of paint and numerous stickers, posters, photographs and sticky-notes.

"Diesel. Diesel." She calls, her face coalescing into a scrunchy frown. "Yo! Where's my pilot!"

"Gone." A calm male voice replies from nowhere.

"Gone? Gone where?"

"I don't know."

…..

Not far away, on a universal scale, the land vehicle hits the ground with a jarring thump, tilts nauseatingly on an embankment, then begins to tumble end over end until it comes to rest at the bottom of a hill, headlights pointed onto a road. One turn signal blinks in the darkening forest.

Richard Beckett is town sheriff. Of course, there isn't much other position for him to be, since he is the soul member of the Hangdog City Police force. He's also the local roofer and dog catcher, and runs the towns only motel.

He is tuning the radio in his cruiser when he sees something on the road out in front. Headlights, pointed across the street. He flips on his lights and pulls up. A tall, thin man, he unfolds himself from the car and steps out onto the pavement, tugging his police cap over thinning dark hair pulled back into a ponytail.

Richard pulls out his flashlight and peers into the vehicle, some strange creation in reddish cammo. What he sees makes him take a step back, pass his hand over his face, then look again.

Yes, he was right the first time. Slumped over the steering wheel is what is undoubtedly, though it is probably almost six feet tall and wearing clothes, a mouse. With antennae. He frowns softly. He hasn't seen anything like that in a long time.

He tries the door and finds it creaks open. Reaching in, he touches the mouse on the neck. It jerks sharply, sits back, raises a hand to it's head. Richard scrambles backward and trains the light on it again, it raises a hand to protect its eyes.

Richard almost drops the light. He shakes his head hard. He seriously needs to start getting more sleep. That's not a mouse in there, it's a human girl with spiky unkempt hair, looking slightly dazed. She can't be more than eighteen.

"Ma'am." He says quickly. "Are you OK?"

"I think so." She accepts his hand and steps out of the car. She looks around. "How did I get here?"

"You probably slid off the road up there." He points with the flashlight.

She shakes her head vaguely. The she speaks, more to herself it seems than to him. "How did I get here..."

"Do you need to go to the hospital?" Richard asks.

"No, no I'm fine." She waves her hand gently at him.

"Do you have someplace to stay?" He asks.

"No, I'm...just passing through." She says.

"Well, why don't you let me escort you to the finest motel in Hangdog. Ok, it's the only hotel in Hangdog. And it's a motel." He chuckles.

The girl turns a smile onto him, and he feels himself relax slightly. Something is bothering him, though. Something about her eyes. They look normal, just...he's not sure. It's as though she knows something. It's a look he's become accustomed to.

"What's your name?" He asks as he holds the cruiser door open for her.

"De-" She seems to hesitate, then repeats "Dee. You can call me Dee."

...

The Wonderland Motel sits on top of the hill, overlooking pastures on one side and the scenic little town on the other. It's ancient blue sign, a sweeping abstract art-deco affair with gigantic neon letters, glows like a beacon in the night. An ancient white house is situated across a gravel parking lot from long-double story buildings.

"Here." Richard opens room 103. "It's on me."

If Richard could have seen through the door, he would have noticed her form seems to shiver slightly, then fall away leaving the mouse he'd seen before.

Diesel tries her communicator but gets no response. No connection with the ship. She's stranded. She sits down on the bed and puts her head in her hands, letting herself think.

Something about this place seems vaguely familiar. Something about the name of the motel. She thinks she remembers something in culture about Wonderland, but that doesn't seem to be it. The word 'motel' is firmly connected.

The next morning she is awakened by a knock at the door. A gangly orange haired boy stands outside, idly scratching his elbow through a striped shirt. She pulls the door open.

He looks at her with eyes that seem strange, and somehow familiar. She can feel him looking right through her.

"You're a mouse." He says, his voice conveying no emotion.

"Sure am." She says. She always has trouble with kids, they have an annoying habit of seeing what's really there.

"I knew there was something funny about you." He tilts his head to the side. "Can Richard see you?"

"Not like you do." She says honestly.

"Because you don't want him to?"

"Bingo." She smiles. "You're a pretty sharp kid."

"Thank you." He pauses for a beat, then says "Richard said for me to tell you to come to breakfast."

"Oh." She hesitates.

"You should." The boy takes a step back, starts to turn, then adds as an afterthought "He's nice."

"What's your name?" Diesel asks as he walks away.

"Thomas." The boy calls over his shoulder.

Diesel frowns as she watches him leave. There is something familiar about him, dammit, something about his eyes and the shape of his face, but she can't quite put her finger on it.

...

"They (wheeze) got away, did they? Well, two can play at that game."

Limburger watches around his bulbous belly as Karbunkle pulls a remote out of one pocket. He pushes the button, chuckling.

Throttle is halfway across the garage when he stops abruptly, putting a hand to his head.

"You alright, bro?"

"I, ah, I can't see." Throttle says.

For a moment he is blind, then the world comes in eerie half-sight, psychically sensing energy. His friends become vaguely shaped bursts of light. Vinnie throbs so bright it's almost blinding, Modo burns cool, and Charlie in a smooth glow that begins to spike nervously.

A second later crippling pain begins to throb behind his eyes. Throttle stumbles to a chair and sits down before he falls, leaning forward to cradle his head in his hands. Vinnie is upset by Throttles distress, he quickly crosses to his friend and puts his hands on his shoulders, leaning down to hug him.

Charlie finds herself at a loss. Those eyes are not something she can fix, they are simply beyond her ability. She doesn't even have tools on near enough the scale she'd need. Not to mention sterile equipment.

Throttle feels her aura pulse with near panic and winces as it pounds into his mind. "Charlie, calm down."

Charlie chances a glance through the door and sees Molly walking down the street. She runs out and tackles the animal, pinning her to the ground and grabbing her by the cheeks.

"Where's Zee? Can you get her? It's an emergency."

The creature lopes off. Charlie hopes it understands.

…

In the near-darkness, illusions roll up. Throttle closes his eyes, lifting himself away from the pain, and the image forms.

Sofia, standing before him. Radiant as always, her fur with a healthy glowing sheen, her mouth pulled up into a warm smile.

"Sofia..." The name sounds far away. "What happened?"

"There was an accident." Sofia says, stepping up to him. "Don't you remember?"

Something vague about the ship shaking wildly, then the memory comes back, hazy. The Plutarkians had been aiding them, they came to Earth to stop the same thing from happening here...

"Poor baby." Sofia lifts her shirt off. "Let me make it all better."

She sits on top of him on the bed, her skirt flared around his lap. Throttle leans up and kisses her, warm and familiar.

…

Throttle lifts his head when he hears Zee enter, then his face goes through a remarkable series of contortions before finally settling on a half snarl.

"Is that who I think it is?" He growls, momentarily distracted from the pain.

"Well, well." Zee grins. "If it isn't Her Majesties Dog. You're a bit out of your jurisdiction, ain't ya?"

"You two know eachother?" Charlie asks.

"I don't work for them anymore." Throttle puts his head back in his hands.

"You retire?"

"No." he says. "Awol."

She laughs. "You? Why?"

"There was a war." he says sharply, then turning to Charlie "Would you get her out of here?"

"Not so fast, bucko. I'm your saving grace." Zee's grin widens.

Throttle groans. "No. Absolutely not." Then he winces and collapses again, moaning softly.

"Zee! Can' you see he's in pain?" Charlie wails, eliciting another groan from Throttle.

"Yeah, yeah." Zee flaps a hand, then her face softens. She walks over to Throttle and reaches for him, he pulls away.

"Look, you want help or not?" She asks.

"Not from you." But Throttles voice is weak, and when she reaches for him again he doesn't pull away.

She puts her hands on his shoulders, stepping closer she runs one hand up the back of his heck, guiding him into her chest. Throttle shudders sharply, then his shoulders relax.

"There you go." Zee murmurs.

"What did you do to him?" Charlie asks.

"It's Ok." It's Throttle, and he sounds normal.

"I jacked his pain center. It's all good, it'll wear off in a couple hours. Long enough for us to fix this."

"And how do you propose we do that?" Throttle asks.

"With these." She pulls out a paper bag and reaches inside.

Throttle recognizes the energy signature as the three others pull back.

"How did you get those?"

"Little birdie auctioned them off to me." Zee says. "Your friend owes me, Throttle. Owes me big time. You have no idea."

"You leave her alone." Throttle warns.

Zee leans in, grinning. "Not a chance. Now, how about we take these babies for a spin? Oh, they come with these. Matched set." She pulls a pair of spectrum shades out of her pocket.

"You're not going to try and do this yourself, are you?" Throttle asks nervously.

"Nah, You gotta come with me. Your, uh, friends have to stay here."

They protest, but Throttle shakes his head. "Nah, not this time, bros. I gotta do this alone."

Zee pulls a key chain out of her pocket, selects a key, then slides it into the front door of the garage. When the door opens, there is nothing but light. She and Throttle step through and are gone.

...

"We can't let those accursed mice run rampant over Chicago. They will undoubtedly ruin our plans." Limburger rages.

"Yes, you're cheesienes." Karbunkle stands beside Sofia, who isn't bothering with the human illusion. "I have just the person to help us out with our little rodent problem." He motions to the transporter, which is glowing theatrically. "Meet our friend (wheeze) Roxanne."

Roxanne turns out to be a humanoid female, slightly taller than average, with shaggy pink hair. She has what Limburger thinks at first is a gun, but turns out to be a guitar, slung over her back. She shakes her hair out and looks at them with eyes that almost glow with energy.

"What's she going to do, sing them to death?" Limburger asks.

"Allow her to demonstrate." Karbunkle steps aside, making a sweeping motion with his hands.

She begins to play the guitar. Limburger suddenly feels compelled to take out a large wad of cash and hand it to her. As she takes the money the spell is broken and he snatches it back.

"Lovely parlor trick, I'm sure you make lots of money that way, but I think you underestimate your opponents."

"Oh, that's hardly the only trick up my sleeve." Roxanne grins.

…

Several days have passed since Throttle and Zee disappeared through the mysterious doorway. Things at the garage have fallen into a familiar routine, though the mice have taken on a somber air in the absence of their leader. Vinnies jokes seem hollow, and Modo has taken to brooding silently. With no other options, they are both still wearing the pinstripe slacks, Vinnie forgoing the shirt. Their dress seems to exude an air of darkness.

It's late at night, the mice sleeping in the room Charlie had added on to the garage and has been using for storage. A shadow passes over the roof of the building next door.

Eerie music begins to echo down the deserted road, soft finger picking on a guitar. The music moves in an almost tangible form down the road, sniffing and seeking like a snake until it finds the window into the garage and slides in. It slithers across the floor until it finds a sleeping form, then wraps itself around and begins to squeeze.

Modo shifts in his sleep, struggling against some unseen opponent.

"No." He murmurs.

The big house was grand once, but has now fallen into a state that is not quite disrepair. The windows have been boarded shut, and several places on the outside have been repaired with sheet metal. The Plutarkian guard surrounds it, weapons drawn.

"Come on, how much trouble can it be? They're a bunch of girls." The commander lifts a hand and motions them in.

Two fish have fallen before he realizes they are being shot at from inside. He signals his men to return fire.

The rebels sit in what was once the lounge, and has now become the ammo store. The girls are taking turns shooting through cracks in the window as Miz Lilly supervises the administration of medical aid.

She is a warm mouse with pale fur and dark hair, her curves flashing through the loose robe she wears. She bends down to look at the stitches being put into the arm of a larger gray mouse.

"It's nothing." he says.

"I know." Miz Lilly flashes a smile.

"Go fret over someone else." He motions at her.

She chuckles.

One of the girls screams as she tumbles over. Without pause, another dashes in and drags the body away, taking her place.

The Plutarkians are taking heavy losses, but have almost gained the porch. Then they are inside, swarming the house. In the confusion shots are fired, bodies hit the floor. Modo turns just in time to see Lilly fall.

"No." Modo tosses in his sleep. "No, Lilly!"

Vinnie jerks awake and sits up, looks over at his friend in the dark. Modo is on his feet in a flash, his arm aiming around the room. It zones in on Vinnie, who barely manages to avoid getting toasted.

"Plutarkian scum!" Modo roars, firing again.

Charlie hears noises downstairs, loud noises, Frowning she goes down to shush her friends, and is met by Vinnie who slams the metal door to the room shut and leans on it.

"What's going on?"

"Modo's..."

He hits the door with a thunk.

"Modo! It's us!" Charlie calls through the door. She is met with the sound of laser fire.

The door bulges and slams open. She and Vinnie run for the only open area, upstairs. They close the door to her room. There is silence for a moment, and Charlie catches something. Music, drifting in through the open window. Looking across the street, Charlie sees a figure standing on the building Zee has apparently abandoned.

"You distract Modo." She says, climbing out on the fire escape.

"Where ya going, Charlie-girl?" Vinnie asks.

"Following a hunch." Charlie scrambles to the ground and quickly crosses the street, makes her way through the building and is up on the roof in minutes.

A woman is standing there, playing the guitar. Charlie can't see her face from behind, but she's dressed in standard rock star apparel, jeans and a leather jacket, and has shaggy pink hair.

"Hey!" charlie says loudly.

The woman turns. She turns out to be quite pretty, with bright eyes that focus on Charlie. Her mouth draws up into a smile, as though she is pleased to see her.

Inside the garage, Modo ceases his attack, shaking his head as reality reestablishes itself.

The rock star lowers her head, seeming to contemplate Charlie for a moment, then strikes a chord. Something black and bubbly is oozing up out of the roof. It looks like the same stuff that Molly is made of. Charlie takes a step back.

"Who are you?" Charlie asks.

"Roxanne." The woman smiles.

The black thing draws back and snaps forward, gigantic mouth full of gnashing teeth missing Charlie by inches. She fires, but aside from causing ripples the bullets have no effect. She retreats.

"Uh, guys? Little help?" Charlie calls through the garage door at Vinnie and Modo, who are coming down the stairs.

Modo fires at the creature, but his blasts have the same effect as Charlies bullets. The mass swings around, focusing on them.

"Her, you gotta get her! Charlie shouts.

Vinnie looks around, then finally sees her two buildings over. "I'm on it!"

"Vinnie, wait!" Charlie calls, but Sweetheart almost knocks her over on the way past, and she sighs in familiar exasperation.

"There's no stopping him, ma'am." Modo says apologetically.

Charlie laughs. "Should we go after him?"

A moment later they pull out on their bikes. They find Vinnie just around the corner, engaged with the blob. Roxanne sees them and strikes another chord, two more black blobs draw up out of the ground and attack them.

"What are these things made of?" Charlie screams at Vinnie as he streaks past.

"No idea, sweetheart, but this stuff just won't take a hint!" Vinnie replies, dodging an attack.

Charlie grabs a brick and throws it at her creature, which absorbs it. That gives her an idea.

"Hold them off! I need to get in the garage!" Charlie shouts, pulling out after Vinnie and Modo motion to her.

Charlie unlocks her special cabinet and pulls out the pulse bombs she'd found digging around Limburgers old tower. After a moment of hesitation, she pulls the pan-di bomb out.

"Here!" she shouts, tossing one at Vinnie.

He snags it out of the air, sees what it is, salutes her, and then makes a pass and tosses the bomb into one of the blobs. It vanishes inside, then there is an explosion and black goo spatters everywhere.

Vinnie gives a whoop.

The bits of the creature begin to twitch, lump up, then they pull back together, sliding like quicksilver back to their original form.

"Any other ideas?" Vinnie asks.

Well, the bomb had worked, if only temporarily. Then she remembers the thing Zee had given her.

"Pan-di" She murmurs. "Pandimensional! That's it! Vinnie, Modo! Get them close together!"

Vinnie and Modo begin to lead them in a circle, closer and closer, until at last they are whirling around tightly. Charlie tosses the bomb into their center.

For a second nothing happens. There is a strange feeling, a whoosh, then it is gone, but the creatures are being shredded. They explode like ash snakes in the wind.

Roxanne curses as several of her strings break, then she retreats.

…..

Back in the garage, Vinnie, Modo, and Charlie are celebrating victory with root beer when a door opens in the wall.

Throttle steps through, looking considerably better and carrying a large duffel bag that he tosses down on the floor. He tugs his shades down to look over them at his friends.

"Where have you been?" Charlie asks immediately.

"Aw, man, you missed it!" Vinnie says excitedly.

They are all talking at once as they attempt to describe the events of the day.

"So, she's still out there?" Throttle says.

"Yeah." Charlie nods.

"Alright. Everybody watch out."

Vinnie is looking in the bag. He comes up with an expression of relief. "Sweet!"

"Yeah, I figured we should have some clothes." Throttle says.

"What happened in there? Where did you go" Charlie demands. She looks around and sees Modo has that sternly curious look on his face and feels better knowing he's got her back.

"Sorry, Charlie-girl." Throttle leans forward to ruffle her hair. "If I told you, I'd have to kill you."

"Ha ha." Charlie rolls her eyes. "you're a riot. You got any magical ideas on how to solve our fish problem over there, or were you just shopping?"

"Well, lets start off by raising Mars." Throttle suggests, pointing to the radio.

Vinnie plops down and turns the radio on, is greeted by static on every channel. "No go, sweetheart."

"Something must be blocking the signal" Charlie says.

"Or someone." Throttle says darkly.

…..

"I told you those rodents are more than you can handle." Limburger admonishes.

"Chill out, I'll get them," Roxanne waves a hand, then goes back to repairing her guitar.

Limburger goes downstairs to see what Karbunkle is up to. The scientist has taken to growing things in vats now. Limburger scrunches his nose in disgust. Even Plutarkians have limits.

"What are you doing, my good doctor?" he asks the form hunched over the table.

"Creating our own (wheeze) special spies, your extreme ripeness." Karbunkle replies, moving so Limburger can see.

"Does your obsession with rodents have no bounds?" Limburger asks with a sigh. "It's a rat."

"Not just any rat." Karbunkle says proudly. "An extremely intelligent rat. Who works for (wheeze) peanuts. Did you know," he strokes the animal lovingly "that anything a rats head fits through, the rat can fit through? They're found on every continent on this planet, and on (wheeze) some others."

"A rat is a rat, doctor." Limburger says. "How many of these...experiments do you have?"

"Not many. Only (hiss) two dozen or so."

Limburger sighs. He's going to have trouble explaining this to his higher ups.

….

The garage seems normal now that Throttle is back. Charlie can feel an air of relaxation drifting over them, even with the looming threat of Roxanne.

"So," Charlie says, " What are we going to do? I don't have any more bombs."

"I do." throttle says, and then fishes them out of his hip pouch. "These are smaller, but they'll get the job done."

"I suppose you can't tell me about those, either." Charlie says.

"I made a promise." throttle says. "Besides, it's for your own safety, Charlie-girl."

"I hate it when you say that." Charlie says.

"Ok, bros, lets make a plan." Throttle says.

…

Carbine paces in her quarters. It's been a week since the ship vanished into thin air at takeoff. She refuses to believe they are dead, they must have been taken somewhere. But by what, or who, and to what end?

"Ma'am?" Ratchet knocks on the open door.

"Yes?" She turns.

"Scouts are back. Still nothing."

"Thank you. Are you alright?" She asks, "You look a little pale"

"Just a bit under the weather, ma'am." He says.

But he must have been more than a little under the weather, because that night he dies. He is followed the next morning by two other mice, both of whom were in the exploration party. Then the mess cook gets sick.

…

Bright and early, the mice and Charlie are outside Limburger tower. They'd tried to leave her at the garage, pointing out she'd stayed up late last night making new weapons to Throttles specifications, but she wouldn't miss this for the world.

"Hey, Cheeseface!" Throttle shouts up.

Limburger opens his window and leans out. "Yes?"

"Beat it."

"Not a chance." Limburger closes the window.

Throttle turns to his friends with a shrug. "It was worth a try."

Roxanne appears on a balcony, lifting her guitar.

"Ok bros, its showtime."

Four creatures bubble up out of the ground like black tar and begin oozing toward them.

"Alright, lets rock...and ride!" throttle shouts.

The mice draw their new weapons, superconductive rods like swords that can cut through the creatures magnetic field and leave them in pieces that blow away like ash snakes. For each one they destroy, another takes it's place.

As the music reaches a frenzy from the balcony, the creatures all wrap themselves into one gigantic mass that dwarfs the tower.

"Now!"

Charlie triggers the remote for he bombs they and set up last night. The creature shudders several times, then collapses right onto the tower.

"Noooo!" Limburger wails as his half-constructed tower falls into a pile of rubble.

…..

Charlie laughs as she hands Vinnie another root beer. "So, how have things been going?"

"Great, Charlie-girl." Throttle sounds like he means it.

"Aww, man, you should see it. Little flouters, they're so cute..." Vinnie makes a motion with his hands indicating something small and fluffy.

"Yeah, until you bash their heads in and eat them." Throttle laughs.

"Lalalala" Vinnie puts his hands over his ears. "I can't hear you"

The sound of their laughter echoes out onto the street.

Across the road, Sofia slips from the shadows. Her smile widens a notch.

…

The automatic drone drops the rats at the edge of the junkyard. They scramble through the fence and into the piles of rusted machinery, their bright eyes glittering. One by one, they vanish.

….


	4. Chapter 4

4

A castle floats in space, perched on it's own reflection, a gaudy conglomeration of golden spires. Inside, seated on a throne, is a man dressed in white. His mantle is decorated with the heads of two dozen white birds with red eyes, albino crows, that look around and clack their beaks. One nips a moth out of the air.

"Sir, a message for you." The servant boy is small and hunched, used to scuttling around the engine rooms.

The man nods and makes a graceful motion with one pale hand. As the message plays on a large screen before him, the eyes under his mop of spiky silver hair light up.

….

"We simply can't have another incident." Limburger says, drumming his fingers on his desk.

"I told you, I've got it covered." Sofia starts to reach for the covered candy dish on his desk, then thinks better of it.

"So who exactly is this...person you've found?" Limburger asks.

"An old friend." She smiles. "Name's Mercury Crowe."

"Mercury Crowe..." Limburger frowns, then his eyes widen. "The Mercury Crowe? We can't afford him."

"Relax, he's doing me a favor." Sofia waves her hand, dismissing him.

….

"Baby...baby!" Vinnie wails, jerking his guitar up into a blazing solo.

"Hey!" Throttle shouts as dirty mop water spatters over his fur. "We're supposed to be cleaning, Vincent, not messing the place up!"

The mice are busy making Charlie's garage spic-n-span. Modo, being the tallest, wears a frilly pink apron as he dusts the top shelves.

"Come on, bros, we gotta boogie. Charlie's getting back any minute."

Vinnie has just finished the floor when they hear Charlies truck pull up. The garage door rattles open.

"Here, lemmie help you with those." Throttle steps forward to take a grocery bag as Vinnie hides the mop and bucket behind him.

"Awww, guys, you didn't have to do this." Charlie says, looking around the garage.

"Yeah, well, we gotta do something around here." Throttle says.

Charlie isn't disposed to argue.

A bird swoops in through the garage door. A crow that lands on a high shelf and looks down at them with bright orange eyes.

"Shoo." Charlie says, waving at it.

The bird caws at her morosely, then lifts back into the air and flies away to land across the street. Charlie stands, looking at it. It seems to know she's watching and after a moment flies away.

The bird comes through an open window to land gracefully on the tall mans arm. The birds on Mercury Crowes mantle caw in greeting. The bird shakes itself, and as it does the black fades from it's feathers like running ink. The snow white bird hops onto his shoulder and joins its brothers.

…

Mars, in the early days of the true invasion. Throttle sits with his friends, leaning on the handlebars of his bike. The machine moves abruptly, going on alert.

"Oh, no." He hears Modo murmur from beside him.

The troops wear Plutarkian uniforms, but they are mice. Fifty of them, carrying weapons, their faces strange and blank.

"What do we do?" Vinnie asks.

The mice spot them and start to fire. Throttle sees a disturbing number of women and children in their midst.

"Try and capture one." Throttle shouts.

...

There is a bang from outside. Charlie jumps. The mice all go for their guns but she waves them away. That was a tire popping if she's ever heard one.

She steps outside to find a high end sedan sitting in the middle of the road, a man already out on one knee, looking at the tire. He turns when she approaches. He's tall, blonde, wearing slacks and a white shirt rolled up at the sleeves.

"Those potholes are hell." Charlie says.

"Indeed they are. You don't happen to carry car tires, do you?" He turns a bright smile on her.

"Nope." Charlie shakes her head. "But I know a guy, I can get you one in fifteen minutes."

"That would be lovely." The smile widens.

Feeling slightly dazed, Charlie goes back inside to call Larry. Ten minutes later he's there in his truck, changing the tire in the street and refusing the mans attempt at a tip.

"Look at him." Vinnie mutters, peering through the window. "All...shiny."

"Gee, Vincent, jealous?" Throttle asks from his seat on the bed.

"Ooh, I know that move. No you don't. Oh no, Charlie, don't fall for it! She took his card! I can't believe it!"

Modo chuckles.

The second the door closes Vinnie is down the stairs.

"So, who's your new friend?" He greets her.

"Oh, him? That's Nick. He's nice." She leaves it at that, and Vinnie stews.

Later that night, the phone rings. Charlie answers it with her brows drawn, then her face brightens. She nods, speaks a few words, then hangs up and dashes up to her room. The mice all look at eachother, then Throttle goes upstairs.

"Everything alright, Charlie?" He knocks and the door swings open.

Charlie is dressed in underwear. She turns when the door opens, then lifts a dress up. "What do you think?"

"For what?" He asks.

"Nick just called me. He wants to go out. On a date." She blushes, the word feels funny on her tongue.

Oh boy, Vinnie is gonna love this. "Nice ink." Throttle says to buy himself time.

Charlie looks down at her arm, a long blue fish spiraling up the solar system, the Earth under it's mouth.

"You like it? Traded a bike for it."

"I think that's fine." He says finally. "For your date."

Throttle pulls the door shut and stands for a moment, thinking. It's time to tell Charlie some things. She's not a sidekick anymore, after all, she's one of them. And she's gotten mixed up in this. Later, he thinks, after she's come back. No point risking upsetting her right now.

….

The mice cluster around their captive, watching as the mouse struggles. She jerks, then bites hard into the gag, spitting the pieces away.

"You're killing our world!" She screams, trying to launch herself at Throttle.

"No, you've got it wrong. It's them." He motions toward the door.

"They're trying to save this place." She snarls. "You're destroying it!"

"What could have gotten into her?" Stoker asks.

Throttle shakes his head. "They're all like this. Somehow they've been...brainwashed."

He reaches again for her mind, finds a harsh wall that develops spikes and slashes at him angrily. Throttle pulls back.

….

"She's what?" Vinnie asks in disbelief.

"Chill, Vincent."

"But...but she doesn't even know him!" Vinnie wails.

"That's sort of the point, right?" Throttle asks.

"But she can't..."

"Look, leave it. _Leave it_." Throttle says in the tone that means that's the end of things.

And it is, at least until Charlie leaves and he starts fretting. At midnight he shakes Throttle awake.

"She's not back!" He hisses.

"So what. She's a big girl. She can take care of herself." Throttle waves him off.

…

Throttle drops to the ground of the compound, motions his friends over. He adjusts the bandanna he wears as a headband before sliding toward the large, low buildings.

Peering in through a thin window, he sees a group of mice huddled in the center of the room. There is a hissing sound, something pours through vents in the ceiling. Some sort of gas. At first they are afraid, then they settle.

After the air has cleared, a Plutarkian comes in and starts to talk.

"Gas. Some sort of gas." Throttle reports, leaning down to talk to his friends. He hops down from Modo's shoulders.

"What do we do?"

"There must be some sort of antidote." Throttle sounds slightly uncertain.

"Woo, secret mission!" Vinnie hisses.

Throttle lifts a hand to quiet him. "OK, lets see if there's a lab around here."

….

First the two mice from the mission, then the cook, and after that they started dropping. Some of them at the base, some of them simply going out and never coming back. After a week Carbine puts the facility on lock down, nobody in, nobody out. She fears she is to late.

…

"Can we start to worry now?" It's ten in the morning and Vinnie has been pacing for the last few hours.

Throttle has been looking through the window for almost as long. Now he stands up abruptly. "Yeah. Lets go."

"What, now? Where?" Modo asks.

"We'll find out. Come on!" Throttle is already halfway down the stairs.

He barely waits for the door to open before he is out, looking at the sky. There it is, the crow that's been making laps for the last two hours. As if seeing him, it begins to fly in a straight line.

The mice follow Throttle as he rides through the streets as fast as he dares, the bird always just in sight, pausing occasionally to let them catch up. When it finally stops he isn't surprised to find it's brought them to Limburger Tower, the newly constructed building shining in the morning light. The crow vanishes through a window.

Throttle walks up and bangs on the door, which immediately opens. He motions Vinnie and Modo to follow him and they ride inside.

There is a feeling of moving, of going somewhere else, and then they are in a strange tunnel constructed of what appears to be gigantic dark blue rubber tubes, pulsing and humming slightly. Throttle pulls his shades off, looks around, then looks at his friends.

"Watch out, bros. This is a bad place to be."

"Where are we?" Vinnie asks.

"No time right now, Vincent, we have to find Charlie." Throttle lifts a hand dismissively.

They ride slowly over the uneven terrain, their lamps casting strange shadows. Now they begin to see bizarre luminescent fungus growing on the tubes. Occasionally, far away, there is a spot of bright blue green light seeming to hover in the air, or a long thin strand wrapped and tied around the tubes.

They come out into an open area, a large circular clearing with a pool in the center. Throttle motions them to stop. He looks around cautiously, then starts to move through.

Something huge looms in the shadows, then bolts out at them. A gigantic creature, the size of an elephant. It's great blind face has a long under slung jaw that ends in a spiky row like teeth. It's body seems to be constructed of the same tubing, it's internal workings exposed. Underneath a huge green liquid filled tank of a belly hang a myriad of tentacles that whip and wave. It stands on four trunk-like legs, and arching from it's back are another pair of appendages shaped like scythes, with long thick blades.

It opens it's mouth and roars. A snaky creature pokes itself out and peers at them blindly, then the mouth closes.

"What is that thing!" Vinnie screams.

Modo raises his arm to shoot, but Throttle stops him. "No. Not this one, big guy. She's defending her nest."

"So how do we get through?" Vinnie asks.

"That's a good question." Throttle says.

….

The captain of the Daye is not happy. Being in a time ship has it's advantages, but sometimes you still have to wait. And what she is waiting for right now is her pilot. The Daye is old and cranky, and has decided she will listen to no one but Diesel. May has tried to explain to her that she, the Daye, has the power to snatch her from whatever place she's gotten off to, but the ship stubbornly insists that Diesel is on board and not giving her any direction.

"But she's not here, you daffy machine!" May wails.

…...

"Alright, bros, I got it, but you're not gonna like it." Throttle has been thinking quietly for the past few minutes.

"Oh no." Vinnie shakes his head.

"I think we can go over if we climb-" Throttle starts.

"But our bikes!"

"Yeah, we're gonna have to leave them. It's the only way."

They dismount, comforting their bikes gently and telling them to stay out of trouble before they scale up one of the larger tubes and begin to make their way over the creatures head. The tubes vibrate softly against their skin, and have an odd warm feel, as though they are part of something alive. When they reach the other side of the clearing they drop down into another tunnel.

"Ok, what was that thing?" Vinnie asks again.

"Roxabrax" Throttle says. "Come on."

Vinnie and Modo exchange a look before walking on.

….

Charlie wakes up and runs a hand through her hair. What time is it? She looks around but doesn't see any clocks. Nick is nowhere to be seen.

Oh boy, the guys are gonna kill her. Vinnie's probably having kittens right now.

She pulls her dress back on and is about to open the door when something about the view through the window catches her eye. She turns, walks over, then all thoughts of her friends flee from her mind. They are looking out over a vast expanse of space lit with stars. Craning her head against the glass to look to the side, she sees a massive golden spires arching up in both directions.

….

Roxanne leans back in the control room of SunDog and thumbs through the money Sophia had given her. She smiles.

…..

The tunnel bottom has broken, and puddles of water are gleaming through. Phosphorescent fish dart just beneath the surface. The mice stop as a light looms up ahead. Something moving.

"Follow me" The glowing sign says.

The mice exchange a look, then shrug. The sign has started to move to the left. They follow it, picking their way along the edge of deeper water, until they see a raised pathway. The sign stops beside it.

Throttle, Vinnie, and Modo step onto a walkway made of the same tubes as the rest of the place, lit by glowing blue green balls on long poles. As the sign starts to bob and move away the creature carrying it passes near to one of the lights. Vinnie and Modo balk, staring at it.

The creature walks on four long, spindly legs that carry it high above the water, the legs tapering down to find points which vanish under the liquid. A large blind head is framed by four ears. It's graceful neck and body are covered in transparent hair, allowing it's thin form to shine through, a long form like a gray hound tapering to an equally long neck on one end and tail on the other. The tail drags in the water, glowing with fungus that the fish circle and nibble.

…

Charlie kicks the door hard and her heel breaks. Hissing, she tosses the shoe aside and is about to start throwing herself against the thing that looks like a wooden door when she has a thought. If this is a spacecraft, it has to have some sort of emergency door release. She looks around, shoves a dresser out of the way, and finds a panel set into the wall. Prying it open, she tugs the lever inside and the door swings open.

Charlie slips her jacket on and steps out into a wide white marble hall, closing the door behind her. She looks around then picks a direction to start walking.

….

"Can't sleep?" Richard asks, walking up beside Diesel. She turns to look at him.

"Nah." She shakes her head. "I really... I really need to get back."

"I know how that feels." Richard nods.

He reaches out and puts his hand on her shoulder. She looks down at her hands on the railing, then back up at him.

"Richard, I..." She hesitates. "I think you need to see something."

Her form seems to shimmer, then alter. Richard takes a step back as he is once again confronted with the mouse he'd seen in the car. She stands, waiting for a reaction. Eventually he nods.

"You're from Mars." He says.

She reacts with surprise. "How did you know?"

"I thought Mars was dead." Richard says, avoiding the question.

"No." She shakes her head. "It's recovering. For now."

Richard tilts his head to the side, reaches out to touch her. His fingers graze over her fur and she looks over at him uncertainly.

"I've always had a soft spot for Martian Mice." Richard admits.

"Oh, is that so?" She turns to him, tilting her head.

"Mm." He leans down and kisses her.

"You aren't from around here, are you?" She murmurs.

Richard chuckles. "Here and there."

She reaches out, wrapping her arms around his neck, drawing him in again.

Richard tugs her gently, feeling for the door handle and opening into her room. They press through the door and he swings it shut behind them.

..

A cell phone goes off, buried underneath magazines on a night stand. A hand reaches out, feels for it, manages to snag it.

"Lo." She says from under the covers.

"Junie! I got through to you! Where's May?"

"Dunno, what am I, her babysitter? I'm at the cafe." Junie says.

"You're working?"

"Well, not at the moment. I was trying to get some sleep."

"Dammit. Have you been able to get anybody outside?" He asks.

"Haven't tried. Why?"

"I think something fishy is going on." Richard says.

….

The tubes growing up from the water are twisted like trunks, slithering upward and breaking into ever finer capillaries like the intertwined branches of trees. Spaced evenly among them, large blue green orbs hang down, illuminating the dark water. The fungus is more plentiful here, now growing like sea anemones that wave in the air.

The raised path terminates in another tunnel, which intersects with a third. They hesitate, then pick a direction. The tunnel splits off again, then the branch they take ends abruptly.

"It's a maze." Throttle says.

They retrace their steps and then start out again, this time managing six turns before hitting a dead end.

"This could take weeks." Throttle sighs.

Something flashes between the tubes. Modo lifts his arm, ready to shoot.

A white creature steps out into the path. She stands upright, though bent slightly. Her head somewhat resembles a kangaroo or llama, with long drawn back ears. Behind the creature a tail almost twice her length switches and moves as if alive of its own accord, halfway down splitting into three tips that curl and weave in the air. The creature is dressed loose pants and a sleeveless shit, her hair pulled up into two fluffy ponytails over the ears.

She tilts its head at them, then makes a motion for them to follow. She pauses to light something that Throttle thinks at first is a cigarette, then begins to walk. They follow her. Twisting and turning, the fungus growing even thicker, casting everything in an eerie blue green light.

After a very long time she stops and motions them on. Throttle sees that a door, a ships door, lies through a short tunnel. When he turns to thank her, she is gone.

…...

Charlie makes it down three passages before she is finds guards and lets herself be captured. As she had hoped, she is immediately taken to what they call the 'throne room', which as it turns out is exactly what it is. A man sits on a tall golden throne at one end.

Charlie resists when they try to push her down to kneel, only crashing to her knees when they kick her legs out from under her.

"Well, well, you're awake and about. How charming."

The voice is the same, and Charlie realizes she's been duped. "Nice coat." She snarks to cover herself. "Bet PETA loves it."

As she speaks, one of the birds lifts its head and looks at her. She jerks back. He laughs and strokes it lovingly.

"Useful things, these." He smiles. "Now, lets talk about your friends, shall we?"

Charlie is thinking of an appropriate comeback when a door opens out of the wall and the mice stumble in. The man on the throne seems amused.

"Ah, speak of the devils. You'll want her back, I suppose." He motions at her. "Go on, my dear."

Charlie hesitates, he motions at her again, and she joins her friends. She gets a strange rush when she notices that none of them reach forward to put a protective hand on her and push her back. Vinnie does reach out, but he turns out to be giving her a gun.

"That was definitely to easy." Throttle murmurs.

"Oh yes, my boy. Now you have to get out of here. Guards!" He calls languidly.

"Come on!" Throttle shoves the three of them through the door and closes it behind them.

….

Sofia lies on her bed, looking at the ceiling, her eyes clouded with thought.

The walking shovels approach the house as she shoos her daughter down the embankment. They move in near silence through the ruins of what had been the town, past the dry waterfall in the decimated park, to the large expanse of flat land that had been made into a makeshift landing pad.

They walk through rows of Martian ships waiting to take off, past the landing lights, into the far shadows where a small ship sits hunched like an ugly bird.

A man who looks like a romance authors idea of a pirate lounges against the hull. He is tall, with long hair pulled back into a low ponytail and falling in front over an eye patch decorated with a skull and crossbones. He wears a loose white shirt under a vest, leather pants, and tall boots.

"Here, you go with Adam." Sofia pushes her forward.

"But mommy-" She tries to hold her hand, but Sofia pulls away.

"I'll be with you later, OK?" Sofia waves to her.

"Come on, it'll be OK." Adam puts a hand on her shoulder and guides the small mouse onto the waiting ship.

Sofia watches them leave.

She rolls over on the bed, tracing shapes on the blanket, her mind wandering.

…

They didn't come out the same place they left. It looks similar, a mass of those tubes, but these are bigger, and the hum is louder, as though they are closer to the source.

There is a sound from behind them, then two of the creatures appear, only these ones don't look friendly. One lifts a massive muscle bound arm and points a claw at them.

They step back, Throttle lifting his hands. "We don't want any trouble."

"To late for that." One of the creatures grunts.

They rush the mice. Throttle tries to fire but nothing happens. Modo's arm only clicks.

"What's going on?" Charlie asks.

"Damn, we need your gun." Throttle growls. "These energy weapons won't work in here. Come on, bros, looks like we gotta retreat."

"Aww, man." Vinnie moans.

"You don't want none of those tails, Vincent." Throttle warns as the first creature approaches.

The creature lifts its tail, the tips swaying like snakes, then strikes. Vinnie dodges and it hits a tube where it gives an electric sizzle.

Vinnie strikes a flare, and while the creatures are temporarily blinded the mice slip between the tubes and away. Even far from the main path, the way is lit by the glowing fungus. The tubes move when they brush against them, and looking closer Charlie sees that they are crawling with tiny little bugs. She makes a face and brushes her arm, even though there don't seem to be any on her.

Throttle stops, and they all draw up beside him. A tube sits in front of them, badly in disrepair, the interior exposed. It contains a clear tube, wherein lies a cable made of hundreds of twisted glowing strands. Creatures are scuttling over it, things shaped like apples with long spiky legs extending from their underparts. They are doing a curious dance, stepping forward, dropping down, repeating it. Charlie wonders what they are doing, then realizes they are eating the insects. One of them seems to see them and moves their way. Charlie starts to move back, but Throttle stops her.

"It's OK, Charlie-girl. They won't hurt us."

The creature moves around them, seems to sniff their feet, then joins its friends.

A light shimmers up ahead, and they draw back into the protection of the shadows. One of the creatures is coming up, but it doesn't look like a warrior. It wears a long coat and stocking cap, a pair of goggles pushed up on its forehead. It doesn't seem to notice them.

Throttle steps forward. Charlie yelps softly.

"Kode!" Throttle says.

"Oh, there you guys are. I was just gonna start looking for you." Kode reaches out to hug him.

Vinnie, Modo, and Charlie step from the cover. Kode looks them up and down.

"How did you know we were here?" Throttle asks.

"Mokey-grrl told me." Kode flashes a grin.

"So, how do we get out of here?" Throttle asks.

"I think you wanna know what happened to your bikes first." Kode says.

"Oh no." Vinnie moans.

"Little Hoss?" Modo asks. "What happened to her? She better not be hurt!"

"Oh, they're fine. They've just been taken...up there." He lifts his chin.

They all follow his gaze before realizing they can't see through the ceiling. "Where's up there?"

"You're not gonna like it." He warns. Then he motions them to follow and starts walking.

They go through another door that opens into a wide glowing city that is contained inside a gigantic orb of the tubes, a central line running upward through the floor and terminating in the ceiling, a glowing bar of blue green light. Thousands, perhaps millions, of thin glowing strands extend from it to tiers set up along the walls, the city extending upwards until it vanishes in the haze.

Down here, at the bottom, the buildings have a distinctly shabby appearance. Though made out of the same tubes as everything else, these somehow look old and dirty, and in places parts have died and fallen away, leaving gaps that have been patched with blankets.

They walk down a narrow street, as they approach the garage they can hear shouting and revving engines. Modo breaks into a run

Inside the garage, three of the creatures are trying to subdue the rowdy machines, which are fighting with all their might. Their guns don't work here, but their mass and shredding tires are weapons they wield with ease.

"Here, let me handle this." Kode steps past Modo and into the garage, words are exchanged, a bag passes hands, and then the bikes are released.

"Alright, that's as far as I'm taking you." Kode says a few minutes later. "You have to find your own way back. I have to get back to work or they'll be after me. You guys take care." Then he is gone, sliding lithely into the mass of tubes.

"But how do we...get out." Throttle says after him.

"Um, maybe that way?" Modo motions toward a glowing red sign: EXIT.

"That has to be a trap." Charlie says.

"We need to get some kind of weapons." Vinnie says.

Throttle shakes his head. "Not around here. There aren't any. They don't need them."

"Something improvised, then." Charlie says, looking around for something she can use as a club.

"We seem to have been lucky so far." Throttle says. "Maybe our luck will hold out a little longer."

With a shrug, they start down the path under the sign.

….

The short path ends in a door, an ordinary house door. Throttle looks at them, then tries the knob. It swings open easily.

Charlie is surprised to find that they are standing in the hallway on the upstairs of Zees ship. She blinks and looks around. The bikes nose out after them.

"This way." She motions them down the stairs.

When they get to the bottom, Throttle recognizes it. His mouth turns down at the corners. "I can't get away from her."

"Well, hey!" Zee says, throwing her arms up. "To what do I owe the pleasure."

There is a clatter as Sweetheart slides down the last few steps. Zee arches an eyebrow.

"Sorry." Vinnie says.

"We came from Mercury Crowes ship." Throttle says.

"Ooh, fancy." She chuckles. "But you're out in one piece. That's good. And unusual. I suppose you want me to take you home, now."

"Something like that."

"Boy, Throttle, you're racking up quite a debt." Zee says as she messes with a series of nick knacks on a shelf, then she opens a door leading off of the side of the living room and motions them through. "See ya."

When they come through Charlie is surprised again to find they are back in the garage, though she doesn't know why it should come as such a shock to her. She thought she'd seen everything, but this whole experience is proving her wrong.

"So what do we do now?" Charlie asks.

"Well, I doubt we've seen the last of him." Throttle says.

"Speaking of him, you have some serious explaining to do!" Charlie says.

"Yeah. How come you know all that stuff?" Modo asks.

Throttle lifts a hand. "Not now, bros. I'll explain later."

...

May stops at the door, hand on the release. Her head tilts to the side as she remembers something. Another Martian mouse she'd known. One that reminds her of Diesel in many ways.

Daye had liked him, too. Though back in those days she was considerably smaller, just a baby barely beginning to blossom, almost all of her hull exposed with only the large pulsating cylinders of her organic chronospacial engines and a handful of questing tendrils. May smiles.

….

The space station sits like a toilet brush in space, the long bristles on its rotating upper section glowing with tiny lights. The SunDog, a long reddish craft with the Interstellar Trade logo painted on the side, passes a glowing space buoy that automatically informs them to enter Docking Bay F 214 C, and gives them a helpful diagram.

May switches the controls to manual as they circle the structure.

"Boy, that thing is ugly." Her companion shakes his head, chestnut forelock floating in the zero-g like a dirty ocean wave "You sure he's in there?"

"That's what they said." May shrugs.

They slide in through a bay door that opens automatically and land on a platform. Clamps extend from the walls, gently gripping the ship and lifting it up, sliding along the handle until they pass through a thick wall. Gravity immediately sets in. A sign on the wall informs them that it is safe to disembark. After they have left the ship, May triggers the release and the elevator slides slowly back down the shaft, taking the ship with it.

For a moment they stand, the human female and Martian mouse male, looking at the door that is blinking blue. Then May shrugs and they step forward, triggering the automatic mechanism, and step into the body of the space station.

As usual, the place is crowded with lost travelers trying to find their gates, tourists, and a general population of ne'er do wells that scatter furtively when May passes. A woman with spiky pink hair sees her and grins unpleasantly, then slips off.

The two of them take an elevator to one of the extensions, inside it is a long hall. This one has the distinct smell of animals, the ambient light is low. Various creatures call to eachother between stalls. They walk past booths of exotic creatures, stopping at one to look at a pen of small fluffy creatures with short round ears and long tails, that her companion identifies as Martian flouters.

They come to a large stall selling furry pets, the back half cordoned off by a curtain. The two stop and exchange a glance.

"Hey." May says to the proprietor. "I'm wondering if you have anything more...exotic."

"Step right back here." He says, motioning them back.

Behind the curtain they find a large cage containing a single creature that hides against the back wall until the man slams a stick against the bars. It moves it's long head, extended cone like ears pointed backward, then slowly stands. Tall, extremely dirty, covered with short fur. It's long, triple tipped tail has been bound with some sort of black tape.

"Chronosatyr. Very rare." The man says.

"Mm-hm." May nods. "you're under arrest."

"Yes, they're...what?" The man balks.

"Slavery of marasats is illegal." She says flatly. "Cuff him, Throttle."

As Throttle steps forward the man bolts.

"Dammit!" May shouts. "Get him!"

Throttle takes off after him as May approaches the cage. The marasat draws back, glaring at her. She tilts her head to one side, then the other. Slowly, as if not believing, the creature mimics the motion. She pats her chest twice and then points to him. His body relaxes. May pulls the small plasma torch out of her hip bag and begins to cut through the locks.

A few minutes later they run into Throttle bringing the merchant back to the booth. May grins. When he sees the marasat he tries to run, but Throttle holds him tight.

"Alright, lets get the hell out of here."

"Docking Bay F 214 C is empty" the voice helpfully repeats for the third time.

"But I parked there!" May growls. "Give me most recent departure times."

"You are not authorized to see that information." The computer says soothingly.

"The hell I'm not!" May barks. She slams her finger on the help key repeatedly until a black screen comes up, followed by a prompt. Growling, she types something into the little keyboard.

"Identity accepted."

"Give me the most recent records for Docking Bay F 214 C."

"Opened, 10:24:58 local, ship docked SunDog ISTC registry K2397. Opened, 10:28:43 local time, ship departed, SunDog ISTC registry K2397."

"Somebody jacked our ship!" May wails.

The merchant takes this moment of inattention to try and escape, but Throttle has had enough and punches him in the stomach.

"Open external communication line." May says. When the prompt comes up she types again. After a moment the screen goes blue, then flashes to a man with unkempt brown hair.

"Hello." he says brightly. "Didn't expect to hear from you this way."

"Somebody stole the fuckin ship. Stole my ship, Neil!" May growls.

"Oh dear. I'll have Daye pick you up." Neil chuckles. "I told you, you need to keep lock codes on those things."

"Yeah, when I do that everybody bitches at me." May snarls.

Still laughing, Neil ends the communication.

The Daye reaches out a long tentacle, feeling. It hits the space station and the lights flicker. It pokes and feels around until it finds the familiar signatures of May and Throttle, and something else, two with them. It makes a grab.

"Well," May gasps, her legs wobbling. "Three out of four ain't bad."

She, Throttle, and the marasat are standing in a mass of black tubes. Phosperescent fungus grows in patches.

"Thank you." the marasat says.

"Sure. It's my job." May grins.

A glowing light approaches. It turns out to be held by a marasat in a long overcoat.

"Hey, Jak." May lifts a hand.

"Hello." He nods his head, then looks to the new creature.

"Ok, yeah, you go with him, he'll get you all fixed up." May pats his shoulder, then hesitates. "Say, I didn't get your name."

"Kode." he says. "Kode Lok'd."

In a larger ship the workings would be expansive, going on for miles, but this one is only the size of a large warehouse. Most of the ship is still a ship, not a living thing, after all. She picks her way along familiar tunnels until she comes to a ships door set into the wall.

...

Blinking, May shakes the memory away and steps down in the vast, black tubed expanse in the belly of the Daye. She walks down the tunnel, the glowing fungus thickening, until she comes to a turn and steps through a membrane that takes her over and up several miles, letting her step out into the city. The marasat crew that keeps the Daye live in apartments here, and she goes to one of the tall buildings, crosses the walkway connecting it with another one, and knocks on a door.

A second later the door opens and a marasat is standing there, but this one looks different from the others. He is from the high tier of the ship where gravity is allowed to be weaker, and he has a pair of small wings erupting from his back.

"Hey Carbon." She says. "Look, I need some help. The Daye thinks Diesel is here. Can you figure out what's going on?"

"Lets see." Carbon crosses to a box set in the wall and jacks his three tails in. His eyes cloud, his head tilting slightly from side to side as he looks at something she can't see.

"Her signature is here, like she's here, but she doesn't appear to actually be here." He says at last. "Maybe on some linked plane?"

"Is there a way you can figure out where, exactly?" May asks.

Carbon is silent for awhile, then shakes his head. "There's some sort of interference."

May flops down on the couch. "Great. So we aren't moving until we find her, and we can't find her."

Frumplenorf, known in some circles as Zee, triggers the screen. Sofia appears.

"I just found your friends wandering around my ship." She says.

Sofia chuckles. "I'm not surprised."

"I can't believe Crowe let them go so easily." she goes on, her mouth pulling up into her normal sharp smile.

Sofia smiles back, something knowing passing between them.

…

The throne room glitters white. Throttle stands beside his captain, she smoking casually even though several servants have thanked her for putting it out.

Across the room, the tall man slouches on his chair, his eyes locked on them. His mantle is made of living birds, which tilt their heads and caw softly.

"So, tell me." May says, lifting the cigarette from her mouth. "What are you up to this time?"

Crowe chuckles. "Oh, my dear, this and that."

"Mm hm." May nods. "What are you transporting?"

"My dear, do you think me a common smuggler?" He asks.

"You're after something." May says.

Crowe smiles softly. "Ah, but I don't have it yet."

"I'm keepin my eye on you." May says.

"I'm sure you are." Crowe lifts a hand. "Bye bye, now."

"So, what do we do?" Throttle asks her.

"Nothing for now. He's up to something, but I can't arrest him without cause. And unfortunately 'being an insufferable pain in the ass' doesn't fly.

…

The little boy mouse is on his rounds when he sees the base, dark and apparently deserted. A large sign- "Quarantine"- hangs on the main gate. He turns and starts to run back the way he came, his bare feet pattering on the dirt.

Several hours later he returns with another mouse. This one is striking, black with a white marking like a skull on her face. She wears only a loose pair of trousers, and carries a tall scythe made of some sort of continuous bone.

She leaves the boy a good distance away and walks up to the gate, looks around for a moment, then begins to scale the wall. In seconds she is gone. The boy turns and runs away again, fear in his eyes.

Carbine is surprised a few minutes later to find a strange mouse walking through the halls. She is about to ask if she'd seen the sign when she passes into the light and Carbine sees her color and markings. Something inside of her turns over, something like comfort and unease together.

She's seen them before, seldom in the city though they were a frequent sight outside of the walls. The Keepers of the Dead, immune to all diseases, a secret sect of doctors and priests. Any mouse born with that color, black with the white skull, is immediately taken to them.

The Keeper of the Dead turns to look at her, lifts a hand in greeting. "How many are left?" The black mouse asks in a soft, soothing voice.

"Just me and Rimfire." Carbine jerks her head back toward the stable where he is mucking out the animal pens.

"What are the symptoms?"

Carbine shakes her head, describing vague feelings of unrest followed by sudden death. The Keeper of the Dead nods slowly as she speaks.

"Numerian plague." She says. "Highly contagious, but rapidly dying out when the hosts have been exhausted. How long since the last death?"

"Four days." Carbine says, suddenly feeling very tired.

"You should leave." The Keeper of the Dead says.

"But what if we spread it?"

"You're not sick. You won't be. You are immune."

"But how?" Carbine asks.

The mouse tilts her head to the side. "You have eaten torseg fruit, yes?"

"How did you know that?"

"It provides immunity." She says simply. "Leave this place."

Carbine swallows hard, then nods. There's nothing left for them here, anyway. She spends a few minutes walking the halls of this place that has been her home for so long, then packs what she needs and leaves, turning off the main power on her way out.

She and Rimfire crate the small fluffy flouters, and tie the larger animals, the rockhoppers and runners, and set out across the desert toward the nearest settlement. They trade all of the animals except Fluffy for supplies. Afterward Carbine stops and turns to look at Rimfire.

"I'm going to go look for Throttle." She says.

"I'm coming with you." Rimfire says, and sets his face in a way that lets her know he's not fooling around.

Carbine nods. It will be good to have some company.

...

Throttle shakes his head, dizzy and temporarily blinded. He feels for his shades. What happened? They must have crashed, they were taking off and then...then something happened. He has a vague memory of something like a giant tentacle snapping out of nowhere and grabbing them.

There is a hissing sound. Escaping gas. He looks quickly around. Vinnie and Modo are both starting to sit up. He sees something is coming in through the ventilation system, some sort of gas, an odd blue green color. He realizes what it is and knows it's to late even as he shouts for his friends to get up and get away.

The three of them stumble toward the door, just as they reach it the hatch slides open revealing a silhouette against bright artificial lights.

"Hello, boys." Sofia says with a wide smile. "Nice to see you again."

...

Throttle wakes with a jerk to bright sunlight streaming in through the window. He sits up and rubs the crick in his neck from resting his head on the arm of the couch. Rolling his shoulders he stands and goes downstairs, where Vinnie, Modo and Charlie are hanging out in the garage.

Charlie is in her customary position, kneeling on the floor beside a bike. Vinnie and Modo are watching her, giving backseat instructions.

"Tighten it down one more." Vinnie urges.

"I told you to shut it!" Charlie barks.

Modo sniggers.

Throttle tilts his head. He hears something. Lifting his hand to quiet them he pricks his ears. Yes, a sound, a small quiet sound, the kind of sound someone makes when they don't want to be heard. Little tiny sobbing coming from outside the door. He crosses the garage and opens it.

A little girl is standing just outside, she can't be more than six. She sniffs and wipes her eyes.

"Are you lost?" Throttle asks.

The girl nods.

Charlie comes to the door. "Here, why don't you come inside." She says. "Do you know your parents phone number?"

The girl sniffs and nods again, swiping her nose on her sleeve, then steps inside.

Once the door has closed she stops, standing in the middle of the floor. Charlie is about to go upstairs when she sees the child twitch, then jerk violently. Her head snaps down to one side, then back up, and begins to shake. Then her body is bulging up. Her back breaks and a huge bulbous head appears, working its way up on a long neck. It's teeth look like steak knives.

It roars and charges them on its tiny little girl legs. They balk, then a shot rings out and they turn to see Throttle standing with his gun drawn. The thing that looked like a girl collapses on the floor and begins to steam, giving off a thick rancid odor. Within moments it has vanished. Throttle watches without comment, then turns to look at them grimly.

Charlie wraps her arms around herself, suddenly aware that she is shaking. That was completely unexpected.

"Come on." Throttle says. "I think it's time we paid Limburger a visit."

The crow that had been sitting across the street takes off, flying toward Limburger tower.

…..

The Keeper of the Dead reaches out with her mind, stroking the hive. Within the hour the black mice have swarmed the compound and begin to dig. They lay the bodies out one by one, placing them carefully in several concentric circles.

As the larger of the two moons rises, they turn to look at it as one, then go back to their task. Walking between the mice, they carefully open each mouth to place something inside, something that glitters dull blue green in the late light.

Most of the mice form a perimeter around the outside, but one stays, standing in the middle. She lifts her arms skyward. The mice forming the circle begin to pound the ground with long sticks, then start to chant, a quavering murmur that rises with intensity as the beat quickens, until they are shouting and wailing into the night. The mouse in the middle begins to shake, her body shuddering, head whipping back and forth. The chanting reaches a frenzy as she throws herself on the ground, seizing violently. Then all goes silent.

Slowly, the mouse stands. Her body is held low to the ground, head weaving on a snakelike neck. She begins to creep between the rows, leaning down, kissing each mouse on the mouth. When she has finished she returns to the center of the circle.

The mice have begun to chant again, this time something low and soft that builds gently as the mouse in the center sways and dances, then she lifts her arms to the air again and falls to the ground, unmoving.

There is a moment of breathless silence. Then one of the mice on the ground, one of the dead soldiers, jerks and gasps. He is followed by another. Soon they are all sitting up, brushing the dirt off of their uniforms. They look at the Keepers of the Dead, confused.

"Welcome back to the world of the living." One of the black mice says simply.

The soldiers look at eachother. Slowly, they begin to stand, massing themselves and murmuring softly.

...

"What are we gonna do?" Charlie asks a few minutes later.

"We're gonna confront Crowe directly." Throttle says. "Enough of this bullshit. If he wants a fight, he's getting a fight."

When they pull up to the tower, the first thing they see are the birds. Hundreds, maybe thousands of them, circling the tall building and cawing. Then the flock clears for a second and Crowe appears, standing on a balcony. He looks down at them.

"Come down here, Crowe!" Throttle shouts.

"Sorry, dear boy." Crowe calls back down, his seeming to be echoed in the birds until it becomes a cacophony of syllables.

"Then we'll come up!" Throttle motions the others to follow him as they ride up to the wall. The sticky tires find purchase with millions of nanohairs and begin to climb.

The birds dart away, then come back in formation, flapping at their faces and pecking and clawing at their helmets. One grabs hold of Charlies overshirt and seems to be trying to pull it off until she lets go of Vinnie with one hand to shoo it away.

As they reach the balcony the birds tighten around Crowe, and when they swirl away he is gone. Throttle pulls over the railing and stands, looking out.

"Show yourself!" He shouts.

"I'm here!" Crowe shouts from somewhere in the flock of birds. No, not from somewhere inside, he is the birds.

They draw back and then attack again, pelting them. Several of them miss and hit windows, which they crack. That gives Throttle an idea.

"Quick, follow me!" He signals his bike to jump and they are over the railing again, firing rockets to adjust their trajectory to hit the wall. Then he begins to spiral down the building.

The birds fly at them madly, slamming into the walls where they leave dents. Faster and faster they go, the birds whipping into a frenzy around the base of the tower.

"You can't catch us!" Throttle shouts.

Crowe hisses with annoyance and doubles his efforts. The birds are pounding the building so fiercely now that it seems to be rocking.

Throttle motions them to pull away just as the walls start to give out and the building collapses into a pile of rubble.

The mice ride away, whooping, as the birds disperse.

Limburger and Karbunkle pick their way out of the wreckage to find Crowe standing on a pile of rubble, looking at them.

"Your services," Limburger pants, wiping his sweating face, "Are no longer needed."

…


	5. Chapter 5

5

"And a new deal has been struck with the Plutarkian minister to develop outlying city areas and clean up the slums." The reporter says brightly.

Throttle frowns deeply. It's been several years since he heard that Plutark was forging an 'alliance' with Mars. In a panic, he'd gone AWOL, taking one of the smaller ships and abandoning the Daye without so much as a word.

There is a soft crying from the other room, and a moment later his wife enters, carrying their newborn daughter. The infant is still furless, wrapped in a soft blanket.

"Here, I think she wants you." Sofia hands the baby over.

Throttle takes her, bouncing her gently until she coos, then bringing her to his chest. The child snuggles against him and falls asleep.

"You're brooding." Sofia says.

Throttle laughs, but there is no humor in it. He shakes his head. "They just won't listen."

"Maybe it's not such a bad thing. They are developing quite a lot." Sofia says.

Throttle gives her such a nasty look she falls silent.

"They're no good. You know that." Throttle snarls after a few minutes. "You don't understand. You didn't have to deal with them."

Sofia nods slowly. She reaches out to touch his arm. Her face is dark, knowing.

…

"Lets go out to my parents farm." Charlie says one day.

The mice have been lounging around the living room. Now they look up.

"Don't think they'll like a bunch of mice invading their property." Throttle points out.

Charlie waves at him. "Oh, just do that thing, you know, where you look like one of us."

There isn't really any way to come back from that one.

"Ok, well then, that's settled. You guys need some sun, anyway. You've been sitting here...stewing." Charlie flaps her arms at them.

Groaning, the mice stand up.

As they pass through the city limits some time later, Throttle feels something. Something subtle. A change. Like there is something there just beyond the range of his senses. But if he stops he'll get left behind. He decides he'll check it out later.

…

Volcano Flats steams gently in the morning light. As Carbine and Rimfire ride toward the settlement they begin to see thermally run generators positioned over strategic vents. Over others, tall atmospheric converters belch out clouds of vital gas. The air here is thicker, steamy. Lush vegetation creeps up the side of the ancient volcano, blooming in green and blue. A group of runners congregated in a pasture look up as they pass, long scaled necks high in the sky. The animals are two-legged, vaguely dinosaur-like, with long fluffy ears and glittering dark eyes.

Through an open gate they find the center of town, small rounded brick houses clustered around a large vent in the center, it's generator painted brightly and decorated with flowers. Someone has set up an alter covered with small clay statues.

They step into the inn, a larger vaguely beehives shaped building littered with round windows. Carbine pushes the door open.

The mouse behind the counter looks up, sees their clothing, and tenses slightly. There is a longstanding rivalry with the military still.

"I'm looking for someone." Carbine says, then flashes a mental image that she feels him open to take.

"I seen him around, not for awhile, though." He says.

"In the last few days?"

He shakes his head.

She sighs and motions Rimfire to follow her. "Cover the whole settlement." She instructs. "Ask everybody.

And so they go mouse to mouse, and although recognition flashes in many minds there is nothing recent. Throttle is not here, not that she was expecting him to be. By the time the sun is going down they are done.

"We should keep going." Carbine says.

"I dunno, the desert at night isn't a safe place." Rimfire points out.

Carbine frowns slightly, then nods. He's right. They go back to the inn.

The next morning, before heading out, they trade their heavy-duty military garb for clothing at a merchant stall, dressing in the clothing favored by travelers: Long dusters over vests, light shirts, and chaps, a bandanna around the neck for the sand. They pause one last time to purchase a couple of wide brimmed hats.

...

"Davidson Garage" Reads the rusty metal sign hanging next to the road. "Fresh Eggs- Goat Milk-Riding Lessons"

They turn down a winding dirt road that takes them through a stand of trees and out past a small pasture. Across the opening an old airplane hangar crouches. "Davidson Garage" is painted on the side in chipping red letters. "Small and Large Engine Repair".

"Hey mom." Charlie says as her mother steps through the front door of the farm house.

"Hey, sweetie." Her mother embraces her. "How are you doing?"

"Pretty good. These are my friends-" she motions to them "Throttle, Vinnie, and Modo."

Mrs Davidson looks at the three tall men her daughter has brought and smiles. "Hello. I'm Patty. You can call me Mrs. D. Everybody does."

"Is that Charlie?" A slightly portly gray haired man is walking up from the garage, wiping his hands on his worn blue work shirt. "Hey babydoll."

"Hey, daddy." She leans in to hug him in spite of the grease.

"So," Mrs D says as they enter the house. "A little birdie tells me you have some new ink."

Charlie laughs, then pulls her shirt down to show her.

"Very nice." Her mother says. "I have a new one, too, but I can't show it in polite company." She lowers her voice to a mock whisper. "It's right above my hoo-ha."

Charlie covers her eyes with her hand and looks at the floor, sighing.

"It says 'open for business'." She goes on.

"Mother!" Charlie groans.

"So that's what you traded the Indian for." Her father nods.

"Well, let me go make us some coffee. You boys want something? Soda? Beer?" She pauses on her way to the kitchen. "Oh, Charlie-dear, while your friends are here, and if they wouldn't mind of course, there are some things around here your father has been meaning to get to..."

"We'd be happy to help, Mrs D." Throttle speaks up with a smile.

"Wonderful." She grins at them. "Such good boys, I can tell."

"Your mom is weird." Vinnie whispers to Charlie.

"You have no idea." Charlie rolls her eyes.

Half an hour later, they are outside mending the wooden fence. The horses wander over and look at them curiously. They can see right through the psychic disguises, and seem to be obsessed with their antenna.

"Charlie-dear, can you help me in the kitchen?" Her mother calls.

Charlie breaks from the group and goes inside, where her mother is putting chicken in the oven. "Watcha need?"

"Your friends," She says, turning to look at her as she dries her hands.

"What about them?"

"Are they single?"

"Mother!" Charlie groans.

"I'm just asking. Pete and I have been looking for someone to...participate, if you catch my drift..."

"I am not having this conversation with you." Charlie says.

Her mother sighs. "Oh, dear, you're such a prude." She motions toward the cutting board. "Here, wash that and make a salad.

Charlie shakes her head, muttering to herself as she rinses veggies. Honestly, that woman is incorrigible.

….

Patty Davidson pats her hair, checks her reflection, the suit looks slick and well pressed. She turns to her husband and partner, puts a hand on his jacketed arm.

"Are you ready to go?"

"Of course, dear."

They leave, the newspaper still sitting on the table, turned to an article. "Exhibit today, rare statuary."

As they close the door, she checks instinctively to make sure her gun is still holstered.

…

"Say," her mother says around the glass as she takes a sip, lowering it before she speaks "did I tell you about the new park they're putting in?"

"No." Charlie shakes her head.

"Over at Reinholdts old place." Her father adds.

"The junkyard?" Charlie asks.

"Not anymore, they've started cleaning it up. All those cars went in two days." Her father makes a flattening motion with his hand.

"Who's doing it?" Charlie asks.

"Some bigshot from Chicago." Her mother says. "Some funny name, some sort of cheese..."

"Limburger?" They all say together.

"Yes, that's it." Her mother nods. "You've heard of him?"

"You could say that." Charlie says darkly.

As soon as it is polite, Charlie and the mice excuse themselves. A few minutes later they are pulling up to the large construction site. Deep holes have been dug in the ground, and the familiar walking backhoes sit silent in the evening air.

"Well, lets go in." Throttle motions them over.

Charlie climbs onto Sweetheart behind Vinnie and they easily jump the fence, landing softly on the other side. Lights immediately come on.

…

Pete pauses at the door, then motions Patty through. She steps up before him, hand resting on the butt of her weapon. The man at the counter motions them through into the recesses of the building.

There it sits, on a pedestal in the center of the room. An odd statue that resembles a bird.

….

"Damn." Frumplenorf bangs the front door of the house open and stomps in.

"Mm?" Richard looks up from the table.

"You know how long it takes to drive here from Chicago?" Frumplenof asks.

"I dunno, thirteen hours, why?" He frowns, "Did you just drive all the way here? Why in the world didn't you just use the door?"

"It's broken." She tosses her bag onto the floor and flops down in an armchair.

"Broken?"

"Yeah, man. Broken. Out of service. Doesn't work."

"That's funny." Richard frowns. "Do you think that has something to do with...well I've been trying to call people, and can't get through. Our people." He adds.

"Ooh, the plot thickens." Frumplenorf says with a smile.

"Do you know what's going on here?" He asks.

"Maybe. Probably. Mostly."

"Are you going to tell me?"

"Mmmm, not yet. Not until I know more."

"So, can you get anywhere else from Chicago?" He asks.

"Oh yeah, everywhere. Except here, apparently. And not from Dream, either." She cuts him off before he can speak. "Something about vibrational frequency being wrong."

"Speaking of that, did I tell you we've got a visitor? Martian mouse."

"Really." Frumplenorf frowns. "Well, that's a coincidence, isn't it."

"What is? And I thought you didn't believe in coincidence." Richard says.

"I don't." She drums her fingers on the arm of the chair. "Not one bit."

"Ok, I gotta go." She stands up. He watches her straighten her jacket. "You look out now. Bad things are comin this way."

…

"Hello, my friends. So nice of you to join us." Limburger steps out from the shadows. "Somehow I thought you'd come visiting."

"What are you up to here?" Throttle growls.

"What else, my dear boy? Enriching the area. Putting in parks and recreation." He spreads his hands wide.

"And shipping the dirt off to Plutark." Modo rumbles.

"Oh, no no no, this is going to fill in that ravine on the other side of the property." He motions. "We don't want anyone getting hurt, after all. Certainly not any children. Have a look, if you like."

"I think we will."

To Throttles chagrin, it is as Limburger says, the shovels parked over by the half filled ravine testify to that. He seems to be on the up and up, even though they know he must be up to something.

"So, what do we do, bros?" Modo asks.

"Nothing. For now." Throttle says, then adds "Say, Charlie, think we can crash at your parents place?"

"If you think you can deal with my mom." Charlie says.

Throttle chuckles. "I'm sure we'll manage."

…

"You're not like her other friends." Mrs D says later that night.

Throttle turns around, he's been looking absently through the window at the horses illuminated by moonlight.

"You're different. More...worldly." She looks him slowly up and down. "You're a soldier, aren't you."

"I...was in a war. Several wars." Throttle says.

She nods. "You can always tell."

For what feels like a very long time she just stands there, thinking. Throttle has gone back to looking out the window when she speaks again.

"You boys come and go, huh."

Throttle is surprised and turns back to her. "Ma'am?"

"It happens, every few years. She'll put off coming out here 'sorry, mom, the guys need me.' You're 'the guys', huh."

Throttle nods. He hadn't thought of how they'd disrupted her family life.

"It's good." She says. "I don't know what you're out doing-" she lifts a preemptive hand "and I don't want to know. I just wanted to say, whatever she does, whatever happens to her, we won't blame you. This is what she wants."

Throttle stares at her for a very long time, then says "Thank you."

"So," She shakes her head and flashes him a smile, "do you have a girlfriend?"

…

"How do you propose we take care of our...rodent problem?" Limburger asks.

"Well, your lactose-rich luxuriousness, Sofia and I have selected the perfect candidate for our latest endeavor." Karbunkle presses the button on the transporter.

A man rides out on what appears to be a horse. He is dressed as a cowboy in duster and wide brimmed hat. Between the shadow and his mustache, his face is completely obscured.

"Buffalo Jack." Karbunkle hisses, then adds "And posse."

"Lovely." Limburger shoves a horses rear end away from his face. "Now would you please get them out of here!"

…

Diesel comes into the kitchen of Richards house to find a girl sitting at the table, a little thing who's legs swing against the legs of the chair. Her black bobbed hair is pulled back with a polka-dot bow matching her dress.

She looks up with strange milky eyes when the mouse enters. "I see you."

"Do you, now." Diesel pours a cup of coffee.

"Lets' see what your future holds." She pulls three cards and arranges them on the table before saying "A family reunion."

"Ha, don't bet on it." Diesel says.

"I will." the girl says.

"Fine, how's ten bucks sound?" Diesel asks.

The girl nods solemnly. As she goes to shuffle the cards back, another falls from the deck. She takes it and turns if over, for a moment she is silent, then she looks up.

"Oh dear." She says. "Nine of swords. It really is that bad."

...

The bedroom glows with early morning light when Throttle wakes up to the sound of birds. He can smell coffee drifting up from the kitchen and hear soft clinks as Mrs D goes about her business. Across the yard, he can see the garage door open, a gentle yellow square in the shadows.

A horse whinnies loudly from out in the pasture. He looks through the window and sees that the animals have started to trot down toward the end where the driveway disappears into the woods.

"You, ah, expecting company, ma'am?" He asks.

"No, why?" Mrs D turns, revealing that she's left the front of her robe open and is nude underneath. Throttle sees several of her tattoos before quickly averting his eyes. She sees the look on his face and closes it, though unhurriedly.

Throttle steps out onto the porch and takes his glasses off. Half-sight comes in, the horses auras glowing warmly against the deep sighing flora. Far off through the haze of the woods he can see other things, a group of them. Focusing he manages to pick out forms riding other forms. Their auras are dark, sinister.

He quickly goes back upstairs to wake his bros and Charlie. A few seconds later they are all downstairs. Charlie runs out to the garage. A minute later she is back with her father.

"What's going on?" Mrs D asks as they come inside.

"Trouble." Mr Davidson says simply.

"Oh dear." His wife finishes drying a mug and puts it down on the counter. "I'll make some more coffee."

Throttle watches as Charlie and her father shove a table out of the way and open a locked door under the stairs, then pull out a false back to reveal... "That's quite an armory you have there."

Mr Davidson simply nods. "Shotgun, my dear?" He offers it to Charlie, who takes it.

"Give me the AK, sweetie." Her mother steps through the kitchen door.

Throttle feels himself smiling. This explains so much about their friend. Mr and Mrs Davidson stand in the entry hall, armed, she in her bathrobe, he in his work clothes. Mrs D starts to take the curlers out of her hair.

By the time they have finished arranging themselves their guests have arrived, a three cowboys who position themselves in the yard.

"Now, why don't you just come on out, all quiet like." The head cowboy, one with a thick mustache, calls. "ol' Buffalo Jack ain't gonna hurt you."

"What do they want?" Mrs D asks.

"Us." Throttle says.

"Well, good luck with that." She says, then pats him on the arm. "We won't let them take you boys."

…

"This is your last warning. Send out the rebels!" The soldiers call from the yard.

"You don't have to do this, ma'am." Throttle says.

"Oh yes I do." The Madam says, her mouth setting in a stubborn line. "They've pushed us far enough."

Throttle focuses on Miz Lilly, his eyes solemn. She returns the gaze, steady, until he looks away.

…

Buffalo Jack makes a motion with one hand and his posse disperses. "Well, have it your way."

"Secure the back." Throttle says.

Modo goes to the back door, Vinnie to the kitchen.

Buffalo Jack is approaching from the front. He rides his horse right up to the porch and is about to start up the steps when Mr Davidson takes the first shot, putting a hole in his hat.

"Any closer and that'll be your head."

Buffalo Jack starts to laugh, a sound that gets louder and louder, then suddenly his head is tilting back, opening all the way, revealing rows of needle sharp teeth underneath the bristling mustache, eyes glittering mad white from the shadows. The horse lowers its head, whips it around, teeth bared. The skin is pulling back from the animal, leaving something bulbous and half decayed. The legs swell and thicken, hooves split into claws.

He draws a gigantic handgun from his holster and fires. A blob of bright light strikes the door, which immediately begins to crack and sizzle but holds.

"Shoot him!" Mr Davidson shouts, and they are all firing, but the bullets seem to have little effect.

Out around the rest of the house, Vinnie and Modo have been confronted with two other creatures that erupted from their forms, these ones smaller and lighter.

Modo growls, his energy bolts don't seem to be having any effect. This thing has to have a weakness somewhere. He looks at it carefully, then finally decides to try a headshot to the creature it is riding, though he feels bad for harming something innocent. A single shot and the creature falls, crumpling to the ground and giving off noxious steam.

He approaches cautiously and sees that 'horse' and 'rider' are the same creature, one growing from the others back. That makes him feel a little better.

He locks the back door and hurries back around to the front, where he can hear shouting and gunshots.

Vinnie frowns. He can hear something out there, a heavy metal scraping. Then he realizes that his opponent is on the roof. Growling to himself he carefully hazards a few steps outside.

The tin creaks and scrapes loudly while the creature moves around, getting in position. The head of the animal snaps out, teeth closing inches from his arm. Vinnie strikes a flare and tosses it inside.

The creature pulls back, hissing angrily, and spits out the flare. Vinnie uses a trashcan as a step, leaps and runs up to the top of the roof, balancing, holding the chimney as he aims. He gets a good clean shot but the creature does not fall.

It jerks its body, human arms extending, a row of spikes appearing on the underside of his lower arm as the hands stretch out and form into thick spikes. The creature now vaguely resembles a praying mantis. It swipes one arm at Vinnie, who leaps out of the way and almost slides down the other side of the roof.

Behind him, Buffalo Jack throws it's larger head up and roars toward the sky. A row of thick tentacles has grown from it's back and are waving in the air like angry cobras.

The mantis creature gains on him, moving slowly up the slick roof. Vinnie grabs one of his bombs and tosses it toward the thing, which instinctively snaps it out of the air. There is a bright explosion and, headless, it slides down the roof and falls back down by the kitchen door.

From his vantage point on the roof he can see the battle going on in the front of the house, or at least he can see the monster and hear he loud crack of firearms. Vinnie turns and slides back down the roof, leaps over the fallen form of his former opponent and runs back inside.

…

"Run. Go that way." Miz Lilly says, pushing the rebels toward a tunnel.

Throttle hesitates. "Ma'am..."

"We'll be fine. This isn't the first time we've been raided." She says confidently.

Throttle nods, thanks her, then he and his little team make their way into darkness lit by the lamp of a waiting girl.

When the rebels have gone, Miz Lilly covers the tunnel. A second later the door bangs open and a group of soldiers step inside.

"I know you're hiding rebels." The leader, a gray female, says sharply.

"There are no rebels here." Miz Lilly says. "Just whores."

She stands in the livingroom and watches as they search the house. When they come back, looking discouraged, she smiles.

"You know my dear, if you're ever looking for another line of work, we'd love to have you here. Such a pretty face."

Carbine snarls and motions the team out the door.

…

Buffalo Jack steps onto the front porch with one gigantic leg, claws breaking the boards like toothpicks. He reaches out with his tentacles and rips the door off of its hinges. Crouching down it starts to pry it's way into the house, breaking the doorframe outward. It's head is so gigantic their firearms seem to have no impact.

Mrs D drops her AK-47 and runs for the fireplace. Grabbing a poker, she runs back and without hesitation rams it into the creatures eye. It rears back, screaming.

"We need to destroy the head!" Modo shouts over the noise.

"This way!" Mr Davidson shouts, motioning them through.

They run out the back of the house, dodging the smoldering corpse, and make their way toward the garage. The monster is backing out of the front door, turning to follow them.

In the garage Mr Davidson grabs a tank off of a hand truck and begins detaching the regulator. As Buffalo Jack approaches he turns, runs straight toward the beast. Thrusting the tank forward he lodges it in the gigantic mouth.

It rears back, shaking its head, retreating momentarily outside the garage.

"Shoot the tank!" Mr Davidson shouts.

Charlie obediently pierces the tank. Nothing happens.

"Vinnie! Flare!" Mr Davidson instructs.

Vinnies eyes light up as he understands. "Hey!" He shouts. "Chew on this!"

The thrown flare isn't even all the way inside the creatures mouth when it erupts into flame. Buffalo Jack screams, then falls over, tentacles writhing and then at last becoming still.

They all stand looking at eachother, then Throttle speaks. "Good job, sir."

Mr Davidson chuckles. "Special forces." He says.

…

Pete Davidson pulls the replica out of his bag. His wife steps forward, carefully lifting the glass and taking the statue, which seems to glow in the light. Pete slides the other statue into it's place, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Lets get this back." Patty says, motioning toward the bag.

They leave, the guard glancing at them lazily as they walk past.

...

Karbunkle rubs his hands together slowly, giggling to himself. He looks at the forms floating in the pods, his smile widening. Perfect, they are just perfect.

Sofia watches from the shadows as he sets a computer and then walks away. She waits until she is sure he is gone, then sneaks up and inserts something into a port, makes an upload, then pulls it out. A light on the tank flashes blue for a moment, then goes back to a steady green.

…

"Sorry about your house, sir." Throttle says again.

"Oh, don't worry about it." Mr Davidson waves a hand. "Been meaning to do some renovations, anyway.

They wave to Charlie and her friend as they leave. Mrs D turns to her husband. "Such nice boys." She says warmly. "Didn't shed on the furniture or anything."

…

"What are we going to do now?" Vinnie asks.

"Pay Limburger a little visit." Throttle says.

They pull up to the construction site, where the machines are digging. Limburger is supervising, wearing a hard hat. He turns when he hears them approach.

"Ah, I take it my little friend was...ineffective."

"You could say that." Throttle says. "What are you up to, Limburger?"

"As I said, enriching the local property." He waves his hands expansively.

"You're looking for something." Throttle says, suddenly understanding.

"My dear boy, whatever gave you that idea?" But he looks uncomfortable.

Throttle narrows his eyes, but knows he can't get away with poking around to much during the day. As if reading his thoughs, Limburger pulls out a cell phone.

"Now leave, you meddlesome mice, before I call the police."

Throttle motions them to follow, and they stop around the corner to talk. "Ok, we're going back in tonight."

"What do we do 'till then? Go back to my parents house?" Charlie asks.

Throttle shakes his head. "Nah, we need some equipment. Back to the garage. We'll come back later."

As they pass through the city limits, Throttle gets that feeling again. But now other matters are pressing on his mind, and he ignores it.

Back at the garage, Charlie listens carefully to what they need, then draws up blueprints. Looking at them, she opens the little box she's kept on her shelf for all these years and pulls out one of many small black balls. She squeezes it, opening to reveal a mass of tiny black things that fall out and crawl over the drawings. Within seconds they have started to compile.

"So, what exactly do these things do?" Vinnie asks.

"Interrupt energy fields." Throttle says.

"Ah." vinnie says, then "I don't get it."

"They'll let us shoot those things and actually do some damage." Throttle explains.

"Why can't we have guns like that?" Modo asks.

Throttle shakes his head. "Those are alittle over Charlies ability there."

He feels a sudden stab of regret.

Take them, she'd suggested, but he'd left them behind, thinking they would be useless and needing the space. Maybe when they make it through this he can contact her again.

He shakes his head gently at the thought. Him, going to Frumplenorf for help. One of the most notorious cons in the galaxy.

…

Mr Davidson is about to start digging large holes with his farm tractor, aiming to bury the strange creatures, but when he gets up to the house he finds they have evaporated, leaving dead spots on the grass. Something about that makes him very uneasy.

He pulls out his phone and dials, speaks several words, then hangs up. His face is lined with determination and concern.

…

Slip for a moment outside the bounds of ordinary reality. The earth glows blue and green below us. Bands of energy circle and move on it's surface, here and there are bright spots.

Three of these bright areas are connected with bands of light that form a pyramid shape, intersecting and beaming up into space.

This is the Pluarkian Transport Network, moving property from one planet to another.

Not far away, a ship trembles on the edge of this universe, slips through, solidifies. Long tendrils extend, questing.

"I should have known it was those stinking fish." May growls.

"Well, we know where she is, now." Carbon says. He's made the rare venture from the deeper regions of the ship onto the main deck.

"Is there some way we can shut it down?" May asks.

"Not unless you want the Plutarkain embassy on your ass right away." Carbon says. "The beam has to be shut off from the ground."

"So, where is it?" May asks.

He shakes his head. "One of those beams is active, the other two are anchors. There's no way for me to tell which is which. We'd have to go all three places. And the beams are interfering with our transportation, so we can't even get down there unless you want to take a ship."

May shakes her head, a ship would get the attention of the Plutarkians for sure. She frowns as she fals into throught.

"So, where do these things come from?" She asks after mulling for a second.

When he tells her, her eyes widen. "Dammit, no wonder it thinks she's still on the ship!"

….

Carbine can feel it chasing her, smelling out her trail like a snake. She urges the bike faster over the sand.

"Carbine, come back to us." The voice just inside her ability to hear, cloyingly sweet.

She dodges around rocks, trying to lose it, then sees it up ahead- a monastery on a cliff, with caves underneath. She aims for one of them. As they pass through the psyching barrier the monks maintain the snakelike creature disperses.

Carbine stumbles into the cave, hides her bike, and collapses against the wall. Her head is spinning and she's starting to feel nauseous. She can feel herself reaching for the connection, wanting it, but knowing the second she takes the bait they'll be all over her.

Sick, head spinning, she lets herself drop to the ground, resting her head on her knees. Outside, darkness falls.

"Someones down there." Stoker says.

"I'll check it out." A moment later Throttle has picked his way down the embankment to the cave entrance. A military bike is parked outside. He draws his gun and approaches carefully.

When he shines his light into the cave he finds the last mouse he'd expect. The lieutenant, Carbine, that's been after him for so long. She's partially out of uniform and looks rough.

"Hey." Throttle says, since he can't think of anything else.

"I was a fool." She says without looking at him.

"Nah." He walks down to stand beside her.

"They know. They knew the whole time." She winces and puts her hands to her head, her aura flashing in sudden pain.

"Here." Throttle says, reaching for her. She pulls away. "I'm not going to hurt you."

He touches her mind, smoothing connections and closing gaping holes. When he pulls away her face has changed subtly.

"Come with me." Throttle offers her his hand.

When they come into the monastery, it seems the Carbine and Stoker exchange a meaningful glance, but Throttle can't be sure.

"What's she doing here?" Vinnie asks loudly.

"Chill, Vincent. She's defected." Throttle says.

"Defected, has she?" Stoker strokes his chin. "That could be useful..."

"I...don't know if I can go back there." Carbine says.

"We'll show you how to lock them out without them knowing." Throttle says, touching her shoulder.

...

As night falls, the mice pull up to the construction site. They find Buffalo Jack and his friends waiting, dark against the lights. Their horses shift and blow softly.

"I thought we got rid of you." Throttle says.

"Not that easy." Buffalo Jack grins.

The mice fire. The horses jump and dodge, mutating into their bulging forms. But this time the bikes guns do damage, and they soon slink back through the fence. The mice follow.

Buffalo Jack is getting larger and larger. He swings his tentacles around, taking out whole swaths of building, knocking over sheds, ruining equipment. His body whips from side to side in fury.

"Any ideas on how to actually kill these guys?" Vinnie shouts.

"I'm working on it!" Throttle shouts.

They have pushed them all together into a clear space and are firing, and though they are hurting the creatures they don't seem close to dead. The monsters thrash and snarl at them.

Throttle catches the form on the roof out of the corner of his eye as it tosses something into their midst. There is a feeling of whoosh, and the creatures disintegrate into ash.

"Zee!" Charlie exclaims as her friend leaps off the roof.

"Hey, guys. What's up?" Zee asks.

"Ah, appreciate the assist." Throttle says.

"Yeah, I was in the area." She says. "Heard a commotion. Hey, you should meet my friends. Right up your alley."

"Sorry, don't have time for that." Throttle says. "We've got bigger fish to fry."

"Suit yourself." Zee shrugs, then she turns and is simply gone into thin air.

….

"It's not here." Frumplenorf says, returning.

"What was going on over there?" Richard asks.

"Just helping out some buddies." Frumplenorf says with a grin.

"So, where to now?"

"Shy Town, my friend." Frumplenorf pats him on the shoulder.

Diesel turns to look back at the closed construction site. She gets the feeling there's something in there she should know about. The feeling bothers her, then slides away, replaced by other concerns.

…

"Lets see what Limburger was digging for." Throttle says.

They start to explore the grounds. All is strangely silent. Then they come to a very large pit.

"This looks like it." Throttle says, motioning them down inside.

At the bottom they find a tent set up, and inside is some sort of device like a pod, the interior glowing pale green. Throttle wipes the dirt away. His mouth twitches, an inscrutable expression dancing over his face, then it is gone.

"It's a person." He says.

"Now, now, trespassing?" Limburger tuts at them from the top of the pit.

His goons, the new ones in the snappy suits, surround the pit and start shooting. The mice manage to dodge, streaking up to the side of the pit and flying off to land behind them. The energy disruptors don't seem to do much good against them, but their guns certainly do. They are, however, greatly outnumbered.

"What do we do?" Vinnie asks.

Throttle frowns. "We leave." He says.

"What?"

"They're going to take whoever that is back to Chicago." Throttle says. "We'll pick them up there."

"How do you know?"

"Because this place is wrecked." Throttle says.

That much is true.

"And besides, it's to hard to defend. No, we'll do it this way."

And so, though he does regret it, Throttle leads them back to Chicago and the waiting Charlie.

…


	6. Chapter 6

6

Slowly, the digger lifts the pod up out of the ground. Limburger wipes it off with a handkerchief and peers inside. A person, a man, floating in some sort of liquid. Limburger smiles.

….

Something moves under the small town of Hangdog, population 200. Something great and red that swells and then settles again, turning under the earth. Lights flicker. The old windmill on the hill starts to turn slowly.

In a run-down old farmhouse, clearly abandoned, a woman looks up. Her spiky pink hair has been pulled back under a bandanna. She has been tuning her guitar. Now she pauses, looking out over the woods and sloping meadow. On the other side of the hill Pippy the mule looks up as well, turns her long head, and brays.

Roxanne smiles and goes back to her instrument.

…

"My dear doctor, was that a mouse I saw in that car?" Limburger asks.

"I (wheeze) believe so, your succulent richness."

"Kindly ask them to join us, would you?"

"With pleasure."

...

"Aaand combo!" Vinnie screams as his opponent flies across the screen to land in a heap.

"Ok, Ok, Vincent, I bow to your superiority." Throttle tosses his controller down on the cushions.

"Great! My turn!" Modo hops over the back, landing so hard the couch creaks loudly.

"Careful in there!" Charlie shouts. "Don't you guys have something better to do?"

"Not at the moment. We're waiting for Limburger to make a move." Throttle says.

"I don't understand why you don't just shoot him." Charlie gripes.

"Ah, we can't do that, Charlie-girl. Kill one of them and it's an act of war, they'd be all over this planet in a heartbeat. Only way to get rid of them is to make them want to leave." Throttle shrugs hopelessly.

Charlie sighs. "Well, at least you can be doing something useful. Why don't we go out and convert that shed so you can get out of my storage room?"

For the next three days the mice play carpenter and electrician, and change what was a large storage shed into two small rooms. After a couple of mysterious runs Charlie furnishes it, even bringing back an armload of old motocross posters for Vinnie.

"Hey, Charli-girl, you don't have to do this, you know." Throttle says.

She waves him off. "Yes I do."

Throttle smiles at her, and she grins back at him.

…

The pod glows dimly in the lab. A button on the front beeps softly, glowing red. It switches over to blue. Inside, a mouse floats in the liquid, her dark hair swirling around her head. Her belly is covered with a massive white scar, crinkled at the edges, tapering to jagged points like lightning.

Karbunkle rubs his hands together, grinning, and starts to attach wires.

….

Diesel shakes her head. She has vague memories, being in a car, then there had been other cars pulling over in front of them, blocking the road, there had been an odd smell...then everything goes hazy.

She rubs her head and looks around the cell. After a second she notices a man is standing in the far corner of the room, it looks like a lab, with his back turned to her.

"Excuse me." She says.

The man turns. "Oh, my (wheeze) dear, you're awake. How are you (eeee) feeling?"

"Kinda confused." She admits.

"Yes, you took quite a blow to the head. What do you remember?"

"I dunno, there was..." She reaches for the memory, but it is fading already. "I think there was a ship, and then something went wrong and..."

"Yes, there was a problem" He says. "A crash. We brought you back here."

"Why am I in a cage?" She asks.

"For your own protection my (hiss) dear. You were in quite a state. Do you (wheeze) remember me?"

She shakes her head.

"My name is (wheeze) Dr Karbunkle." He unlocks the cell and lets her step down onto the floor.

"Where are we?"

"Earth. We are (wheeze) enriching this developing planet."

"We?"

"The (wheeze) Plutarkians have extended a generous hand to this (hiss) world."

Diesel frowns. She remembers something about Plutarkians, something from when she was very young. But it drifts away into the mist.

"You should come (wheeze) upstairs. His Extreme (hiss) Cheesiness wants to speak to you."

…

"Oh, tut tut my dear." The man behind the desk says soothingly. "I knew you would suffer some memory loss. We hired you, you see. To look after the generator."

Diesel nods slowly. Yes, she does vaguely remember that.

"We're transporting contaminated earth." He goes on. "To be cleaned and sent back."

She nods again. Yes, that sounds familiar.

"Why don't you take her to her room." Limburger says kindly.

As they turn to leave, someone steps into the doorway. For a moment Diesel stands, frozen, then slowly "Mom?"

"Hey, sweetie. How are you feeling?" Sofia asks.

Diesel touches her head. "A bit confused."

"Come with me, I'll explain." Sofia puts an arm around her shoulders and leads her off.

..

Under Hangdog, the thing moves again. The ground seems to shake. Strange things start to happen, people walking suddenly find themselves on the other side of town, small items go missing. Random bursts of magic that tear reality then sew it up again in rapid succession.

In Audrey's Cafe, Junie looks up from the coffee she's been pouring and looks out through the large front windows. The sky is clear and blue, but she can feel a storm coming. The large black dog behind the counter sits up and pricks his ears.

…

The dark recesses of a ship. A girl, perhaps fifteen, runs down the hall, trailing blood. In her arms she holds an infant wrapped in a blanket. Footsteps thunder after her. She looks both ways, turns down a passage, then pulls something on a cord up from around her neck. She slots the key into a crack in the wall and turns. The door swings open. She thrusts the child through at someone on the other side, then slams the door shut behind her.

She slides slowly to the floor as the steps get closer.

Three men in uniform approach, aiming their pulse guns at her. "Where's the child."

"Dead." The girl says. "It was born dead."

"Come with me" One of them grabs her arm.

As they haul her down the hall, a boy about the same age joins them, also being dragged by two guards. He has long brown hair pulled back behind his head in a low ponytail. When they pass, they exchange a glance, then he looks away.

…

Karbunkle finishes hooking up the tubes to the pandimensional generator. The flickering lights settle into a steady glow. He smiles broadly. Yes, he thought that would work.

Inside the pod, the person twitches gently. He is tall, his long brown hair pulled back into a ponytail that disappears behind his broad shoulders. He's dressed like a romance-writers idea of a pirate, loose shirt under a dark vest, tall boots, even an eye patch.

His exposed eye opens slightly, then closes again.

….

"Where are we going now?" Rimfire asks.

"Firebrand." Carbine says. "It's the next large settlement."

The road is wide and rutted, weaving around at odd angles. The sun rises, painting the red landscape in shades of brilliant gold. Small groups of animals move among the scrubby vegetation. Somewhere above them, in the sky, there is a shrill cry that drops off into a lonely echo.

…

"What do you have for me today, Doctor?" Limburger asks.

"I thought we'd give our (wheeze) new friend a try." Karbunkle removes a sheet from a large hulking form. "She's a pilot, you know."

It looks vaguely robotic, though it is held together underneath the armor with a series of deep blue tubes that peek through at the joints. Under it's eyeless face, it seems to sleep.

….

"Man, this waiting is killing me!" Vinnie shouts.

"We gotta wait, Vincent. We can't go trespassing." Throttle says.

Vinnie paces, agitated. Waiting is not his strong suit.

…

Diesel slides down into the bio-mech. Padding closes in around her arms and legs. As the dome snaps shut there is a feeling, a push on her mind, then a shift. Immediately she is aware of the whole thing, as though it is part of her body.

The bio-mech stands, then begins to change. The long tendrils holding it together get thinner, begin to twist into lenghtening shapes. The hulking ugly thing becomes a work of intricate beauty under the psychic hand of it's experienced pilot.

"Now, to get those mice once and for all." Limburger says, rubbing his hands together.

…

The thing under Hangdog surges suddenly, twitching so violently that little earthquakes run through the town. The ground begins to crack, exposing bright yellow light that pulses as though it is alive.

….

"We have an energy signature." Carbon says.

May looks up. "From who? Diesel?"

"No." The marasat shakes his long head, then slowly "From Adam."

"Adam is dead." May says.

"That may be so, but he's showing up. Look how bright that is, it can't be anybody else." He turns the monitor to her.

On the energetic view of the earth, soft blues and greens mingle with patches of red and yellow. Storms sizzle white hot. And there, glowing brighter than anything else, a wild sizzling light.

"Where is that?"

"Guess."

…

Long ago, someone put a poster of Audrey Hepburn on the door to the cafe, and ever since it's been Audrey's Cafe. The neon sign above the door simply reads Coffee.

A man is slouched in a booth near the entrance, alternately scribbling in a notebook and chewing on his pen. The girl behind the counter, orange haired and freckled, pauses every time the pen touches his lips to frown at him. Finally, she puts the rag down, walks around the counter and approaches him. He is buried in his notebook, oblivious.

"If you don't get that pen out of your mouth, I'm gonna shove it so far down your throat you're gonna need a urologist to remove it." She growls.

He drops the pen, eyes wide.

Junie sighs and slumps down across from him. "Sorry, Neil. How have you been?"

"Oh, fine, fine. Things have been...interesting."

"Tell me about it." Junie shakes her head.

"Put some music on." Neil says suddenly.

"Hm? Why?"

"I feel like dancing."

"You are acting strange." Junie comments.

"It's in the air." Neil stands up.

As Thelonious Monk pipes through the speakers, he takes her hand and pulls her to the center of the floor. She laughs.

"Boy, this brings back memories." Junie comments.

"Mm." Neil pulls her close.

"Oh my." Junie giggles.

He tilts her head up, kissing her.

"Should I put up the closed sign?"

"I think you should."

….

The ground is shaking. The mice look up. Charlie runs to the door and opens it to reveal an empty street.

"What is that?" Vinnie asks.

They all sit still, listening. The rumbling gets louder.

"It's underground!" Throttle shouts.

The street explodes, erupting as something huge emerges from underneath. Something that looks like a machine, but seems to be morphing, moving constantly, long blue-black cables expanding and contracting.

The bikes pull up, shooting obediently when asked. The blasts tear huge chunks out of the arms, which immediately regrow.

Diesel, her eyes clouded, lost in the machine. Something about those mice, about two of them, they look familiar. She thinks she knows them. She hesitates and is struck. Angry, she swipes the bikes over with one swat of a gigantic arm and reaches for the mice.

Vinnie is picked up, shooting at it's face. Throttle and Modo shoot from the bikes and Vinnie is dropped as the machine-creature turns to go after them. A large gun manifests from the coils of it's back and takes aim, barely missing them.

There it is again, something is wrong. Diesel frowns. Who is that? A memory, a distant memory. A sudden hard wall makes her jump, and when her memory appears again she can't find him.

"Take it to the tower!" Throttle shouts.

When the mice run, the machine follows them. Shifting its form into something like a huge grayhound it pounds after them, tearing up chunks of pavement. People scatter, screaming.

When they reach the tower and stop the bio-mech slides, almost striking the building.

Limburger comes to the window and watches the battle raging in front of his building.

…

The form in the pod stirs. Long tendrils twist into a tower inside the building, writhing up toward the top. They break through floors, then walls, reaching up toward the sky.

…

The red thing under Hangdog bursts up through the ground, sending shafts of light toward the sky. Something moves along them, an impossible brightness. Had you been above the Earth, you would have seen it streak off in the direction of Chicago.

…

The bio-mech is forming into a long-armed creature, that swipes at them again. One arm connects with the tower.

Blue-black tubes erupt from the tower and begin to intertwine with the machine. The two start to meld, dark tentacles writhing up the building to the top. Then it is absorbed, sucked into the mass, pulling away from the pilot who is left laying inert on the ground.

The building is standing, lifting itself up off the ground, tearing away from the basement level and leaving Karbunkle blinking in the sudden light. It is transforming, it's top twisting into a head on a long neck, growing arms and thick legs, a long trailing tail. It begins to walk through the city, now a mass of near black.

"After it!" Throttle shouts.

They follow it through the city, then there are seagulls wheeling and calling frantically in the sky as it steps into the ocean. The last they see of it the building is wading out to sea, calling mournfully.

…

A ship drops gracefully out of the sky, a once painted deep red. The SunDog hovers just over the creature in the water.

Long tendrils extend from the center of the ship, join those now running up the sides of the creature that was the building. The ship trembles, begins to glow under the dark tubes, then it is changing, expanding, growing into something that is alive.

The SunDog tilts its wings, banking easily, then with one flap propels itself, blazing like the sun, into the sky and away.

…

Limburger wades ashore, wiping trash off of his suit.

He returns to the base of his tower to find Karbunkle and Diesel covering equipments with white sheets. Sofia is nowhere to be found.

…

Pete Davidson, thirteen years old, walking down along Drowning Dog Creek toward Devil Falls. He slows as he starts to see things in the water- broken china, a teapot, eventually a large trunk sitting open and face down in the water. Not to much farther down there is a woman, standing up and shaking water out of her boots.

She is a tall, thin lady who reminds him of a circus ringmaster, in a long tail coat. She settles a top hat onto her hair, tilts it at a rakish angle, then turns her attention to him.

"Hello, boy." She says.

"Hi." He says.

"I'm Hattie." She extends a damp gloved hand.

Pete takes it, shaking it, then lets go. He feels a vague suspicion about this person.

"Oh, look at this. What a mess." She grabs the trunk and drags it out of the water, looking into it forlornly.

"Say," She says a moment later, "Have you seen a rabbit, by any chance?"


	7. Chapter 7

7

The SunDog, barely a ship anymore, thrumming in the darkness. It seems to shimmer just on this side of reality. It is a living thing, it's great wings carving ruts in space and time that crash and fill. New suns are born in it's wake, life spawns in it's drift.

The pod containing the man has settled in the back, surrounded by tubing. Now it slowly slides open, and the man inside sits up. He shakes his head and stands up, the liquid drying instantly in the air, leaving him clean.

Roxanne is sitting at the new instrument panel, her feet up on the counter. She twists around to look when he comes up.

"You're back." She says.

Adam sits down in the other chair. "Indeed I am."

From deeper in the ship that is not a ship, Frumplenorf and Richard pick their way through cables and climb toward the front.

"Oh, how nice!" Roxanne says. "The gang's all here."

"Adam!" Richard says. "I thought you were dead!"

"Apparently not." Adam flashes him a wide, bright smile.

"You guys mind running me home?" Richard asks.

….

"What the hell was that?" Carbon jerks away from the feed.

"Looked like an energy burst. Can you get Diesel now?" May asks.

"Hmmm...no, signal is stronger. She's...she's in Chicago. But I still can't get a lock. There must still be something generating a pandimensional wave. Could be fallout."

….

"Your tower did what?" Camembert asks, disbelieving.

"It, ah, waded out to sea." Limburger repeats. "And got, ah, eaten by a space ship."

"I told you those new transporters were a bad idea." Camembert says.

"But they're working so well." Limburger complains. "Just a hiccup once in a while."

Camembert shrugs. "Fine. Take the funding."

"Oh, thank you, sir, it won't happen again." Limburger promises.

"I bet." Camembert says darkly. When the screen switches off, he lets himself smile. At this rate, they'll be done with him in no time.

…

"Where are you headed?" The farmer leans on the fence.

"Firebrand." Carbine says.

"Gotta watch it over there, sandstorms come in this time of year." He spits into the dirt.

"Yes, sir." She nods.

He watches the two of them ride off on their motorcycles, a strange almost silent couple. Haunted, he decides, that's the word for them.

…

Throttle sits on the roof of the shed, looking out into the dim lights of the city around him. Crickets chirp in the grass.

"You're brooding." The female voice comes from behind him.

Throttle has to try very hard not to jump. He turns his head slightly, tilting an ear in her direction. "I was wondering when you were going to come see me."

Sofia sits down beside him, slipping her skirt around her legs to protect her from the damp. She doesn't say anything. After a few minutes Throttle speaks again.

"Why are you doing this?" His voice is flat, tired.

"Because I'm getting paid, silly." She flashes a bright grin at him.

"Are you blocking our radio?" He asks.

"Maaaay-be." She drawls.

"Can you stop?"

She laughs at him. "You're not getting off that easy."

They fall back into silence. Sofia lights a cigarette.

"You let me go." Throttle says. "I was going to kill them."

"Yep."

"Why?"

Sofia shrugs. "Entertainment."

Throttles eyes narrow and he turns away.

"You can take me prisoner." She says, her voice suddenly mocking. "Take me down there and do with me what you will."

"No thank you." Throttle says flatly.

"Awww. But it's so much fun."

His mouth turns down at the corners, but he doesn't say anything.

"Did you see who it was they got?"

Throttle nods.

"He's gone, now."

"Figured."

Silence again, smoke drifting up from the red tip of her cigarette.

"He'll be back, I bet." She says.

Throttle looks at her from the corner of his eye.

"Are you worried?"

"No."

"You're lying." Another pause, then "I heard tell you were fratrinizing with The Frumple." She says.

"You're the one that gave her the eyes, aren't you." Throttle says.

She nods. "No fun if you're blind."

She stands up, brushing her skirt straight. "You better watch it, big boy. You're becoming more and more like us every day."

She turns and is gone over the side of the roof. He resists the urge to look after her.

…

"What do you have for me today, doctor?" Limburger asks.

Karbunkle pulls the sheet off of a plastic tank containing a hamster running on a wheel. He lifts the top off and reaches in, pulls the little thing out. Placing it on a table, he hands it something small and dark blue-black. The rodent takes it and shoves it in it's mouth.

"I present to you-" the hamsters eyes get wide, then it starts to bulge and grow. Within seconds it has gotten to the size of a small pony, looking down at them from the table. It's eyes have taken on a blue-green glow. "Pee-"

"More rodents?" Limburger asks. "And huge ones? Are you sure that's wise?"

"Oh (wheeze) yes, Diesel can (hiss) control them."

"Them?"

"Indeed, your (wheeze) Extra Sharpness." Karbunkle grins.

"Construction Courtesey of Limburger Enterprises." The sign says.

Charlie hisses angrily as she pulls the garage door shut against the sound of heavy machinery. Limburger is just doing this to egg them on, she's sure of it.

"Well, they are fixing the street." Throttle says.

"And taking the dirt to Plutark." Vinnie adds.

"We should go shut them down." Modo growls.

"They're just contractors, bros, it's not their fault their boss is scum." Throttle says.

The mice growl in response.

….

A storm is coming, rain billowing down from where it has formed over the volcano. The clouds behind them turn the sky purple. The wind picks up.

"Hurry!" Carbine throws her bike forward, Rimfires follows, and they are racing the rain.

Thunder rumbles behind them. Lightning strikes the ground. The desert whips away beside them, a long flat plane with mountains rolling slowly in the background. Carbine looks over and sees a pack of Streakers, as slick as grayhounds, pacing them. Their long, lithe bodies leap over the sand in waves. The animals turn away, chasing something small and dark that darts into the brush.

They make it to a stand of rocks and take shelter in a cave as the storm hits, wild and pounding. Fluffy emerges from Carbines coat and sniffs around with interest.

…

Something is moving around outside in the darkness. Charlie tenses, listening. A strange sound, like chewing. She runs down into the garage. At first she can't tell where the sound is coming from, then she sees the streetlight echoing through a growing hole in the wall.

Something huge and fluffy starts to come through. She freezes, for a moment thinking she must be dreaming. It's a hamster, it must be at least three and a half feet tall on all fours. There is more chewing, and another hole opens. Charlie runs out back and throws the door of the shed open.

"Wake up!" She shakes Vinnie, who is closest, by the shoulder.

"Wha? Sweetheart?" Vinnie mumbles.

"Throttle!" She shouts, shaking him hard.

Throttle sits up, blinking as half-sight shows him Charlie bristling with excitement bordering on panic. "What is it?"

"Come on!" She grabs his arm and pulls.

There are three of them now crowded into the garage, and they are stuffing her tools into their cheeks. "Hey!"

"What in the world-" Throttle stares at them for a second.

One of them sees him, rears up on it's hind legs and bites at him with huge teeth. He clocks it on the side of the head and it falls back, hissing angrily. The two in the back glare at him.

…

In the tower, sitting in her control booth, Diesel looks at the mice through three sets of eyes. She tilts her mind, bringing one from the back around to the side, trying to corner them. The big gray one shoots with his arm and the beast hisses, pulls away.

She rams the lead forward again, going after the chestnut mouse. He dodges, then shoots, striking her with little effect.

She casts her mind around, then draws her creatures back out of the garage, onto the street where construction is still going on. When the mice follow she immediately brings a fourth that has been waiting around to close off their way back inside.

Clear of the building, she now rears one of them back again. Pushing, letting the thing inside of it expand.

…

A black mass extends from the hamsters mouth, manifesting into huge teeth. Black coils extend, whipping in the air, homing in on the mice. It's furry body teeters almost comically under the weight. Throttle whistles for their bikes, which immediately come around shooting. The black thing jerks away when it is hit.

It whips tentacles around, grabbing at them as they scatter and re-form. The monster draws back and readies for another attack.

…

Something about that mouse. She frowns, the back of her mind trembling. Something familiar. She knows him.

Evil traitor. Her mind murmurs.

No, no that's not right, is it?

Her control flickers. The hamsters hesitate.

…

Throttle lifts his hand. The animal seems to be looking at him, puzzled. It lowers it's head, the blackness sliding down toward him, but in a slow way, questing.

"Throttle!" Charlie shouts in alarm as he extends his hand.

The black thing peers at him, looking him up and down, then slowly starts to pull back.

….

There is a sudden burst like feedback. Diesel jerks away from the controls, pulling out of the minds of the creatures. Something moves just under the water, a glittering fish. She reaches for it, her fingers brushing scales.

…

The black tentacled thing recedes into the body of the beast. The gigantic rodents turn away, moving back the way they came. The mice and Charlie follow them. They seem to be wandering, but with purpose. When he sees where they are headed, Throttle rolls his eyes. Of course to the tower.

…

Karbunkle squeals as the creatures invade his lab, now roaring .They begin to grab equipment and shove it into their cheeks, their faces bulging.

"No! Bad!" He shouts, whacking one on the head with a tube of paper.

The rodent turns on him, mouth widening. Its eyes glow with malice.

"On second (wheeze) thought, eat whatever you like." He backs away. "Diesel!" He cries.

In the control pod, she shakes her head. Whatever it is, it's gone. She resumes control of the creatures, realizes they are in the lab, and settles them down. The animals stand looking around dully.

…

"Do we go after them?" Vinnie asks.

"Nah. Let Limburger deal with them." Throttle says. "Lets just watch and see if they come back out."

When several hours pass and Vinnie is getting bored, they go back to the garage where Charlie is patching up holes.

"Dammit, this place can't take much more of that." She complains. "How am I supposed to explain this to insurance?"

…

"What happened?" Limburger asks.

"I...I dunno." Diesel admits. "I think maybe just to many at one time."

"Well, my (wheeze) dear we can fix that." Karbunkle grabs the sheet over a very large cage and pulls it away. "Let me introduce Ultra-Pee-"

"You put weapons on it?" Limburger interrupts him.

Karbunkle nods. The hamster turns and aims on red robotic eye in their direction, the other glowing pale blue-green. It shakes itself and opens its mouth, exposing long lethal teeth.

"And you're sure you can control it?" Limburger asks.

"Absolutely." Diesel nods confidently.

"Very well. Lets see what it can do." Limburger says.

….

This time the ground shakes when the thing approaches, and the mice are ready. They pull out of the garage to see a ten foot high creature waddling down the road, roaring and exposing sharp teeth. A large gun rotates down from one shoulder and fires at them.

The mice scatter, then return fire. The strikes only seem to anger the creature, which opens it's mouth. A mass of tentacles extends, wraps into a shape, then the whole thing is a huge gun that fires a bolt of molten energy at them. It strikes the pavement and melts a hole.

"Go for it's eye!" Throttle shouts.

Modo aims and manages to hit. The red light flickers but doesn't go out. He aims for the other eye and the creature roars in pain and pulls back, shaking it's head and wiping it's face with it's paw.

…

Diesel hisses and whips the gun around, aiming at the gray one. She almost hits, but he's to fast, moving around to much. She lashes out with a tentacle to grab him. Lifting him into the air, she bashes him against a wall. He falls still for a second, then starts to fight again.

An energy bolt strikes her and she turns to find the other mice. The brown one is sitting on his bike, which is getting ready to fire again. She hesitates. There it is again, that feeling at the very bottom of her mind. That tingle. She takes a step back.

…

"Hit it again!" Throttle shouts, and then they are all shooting.

The creature is falling away in chunks now as the threads that bind it are severed by the polli-dimensional blasts. Slowly, it dissolves, shrinking down until at last it is a tiny little brown and white animal, looking up at them with dark eyes. It spits something out onto the ground.

Throttle leans down to pick it up. He holds it in his hand, a small black pellet. His face darkens.

"What is it?"

"A seed." He says.

"For what?"

Throttle doesn't answer.

Charlie leans down and picks up the tiny creature. It runs around in her hands, sniffing. "Guess I need a cage."

"So, what are you going to name him?" Vinnie asks.

"Spike." Charlie says immediately.

They all laugh.

….

Diesel releases the creature as it falls away, pulling her mind back. The connecting pod goes dark. She steps free, reaching up to touch her head lightly.

"Well, my dear?" Limburger asks.

She shakes her head. "They won."

"Why am I not surprised." He sighs. "Well, my dear, you did your best."

He turns to Karbunkle after she has left. "Do you think she's doing it on purpose?"

"Oh (wheeze) no, your Fermented Creaminess." He shakes his head. "The only way to break it's hold is with the antidote."

Limburger nods. "Good, good."


	8. Chapter 8

8

The two mice children pick their way down the rocks, nearing the clear desert. They stand, looking out over the spreading sands. A cloud of wispy dust slowly rises on the horizon, getting closer.

Diesel bounces on the balls of her feet, watching as it gets closer and closer, her body moving as though she is about to start running. The other mouse turns to look at her, his eyes narrow, his hands tense into fists.

The streakers come into sight, leaping like dolphins across the plane.

Diesel reaches out, feeling along the silvery strands of a psychic web, feels a vibration, homes in on it. Her body becomes all long lithe muscle, delicate legs extending, reaching for the ground. One front leg hovers over the dirt for a minute second, the slightest hesitation, then hits and pushes. Off.

The reddish streaker pauses mid-stride, then adjusts its angle with it's long, rudder-like tail, turning away from it's pack. A sliver-gray one cuts away a second later, turning in an easy arc to come in line with Diesel.

She flicks her eyes over, looking at Ratchet, then slams the streaker into full speed. The animals blaze across the flat ground, feet flicking up dust in their wake.

As one, the two animals turn, focusing in, and then the world is nothing but the ground falling away under them. The streakers are running toward the scattered houses around the edge of the settlement.

They leap over a wall, landing in a back yard, knocking clothes off of a line as they spin the female mouse around and leave her shouting angrily in their wake. Diesel turns her head to look, the long face of the animal tilting, then she is straight again and they are running through the town.

Through the alleyways, then she leaps up and is on top of the round-roofed houses, leaping over them, looking down to see mice looking up at them. She jumps to the top of the monastery and stands there for a second, looking down at the town, until she spots Ratchet again. Throwing herself down she hits the ground and is running madly, dodging mice, then there is the wall and she is jumping, landing, and on. Ratchet lands just behind her.

Toward a small stand of brush where she easily jumps a small bush, a fallen log. Ratchet misses his takeoff and slams into the log, tumbling end over end, then he is up again and gaining on her. She thunders through a stream, up the other side, sees the light of open land.

The sun explodes around her as she is out again, heading back toward the mountains on the horizon. Swinging around a rock she can see herself, and she urges a final burst of speed. They are running neck and neck, noses pumping up and down, long legs thrusting. She pushes, feels adrenaline surge through the creatures system and there is that little bit of extra, that final try, and she has pulled ahead. She passes over the line just before Ratchet.

She releases the animal, feels it snap back in control of it's own body, and then she is watching as it bounds easily across the plane, psychically homing in on it's pack.

A voice from behind her. "You shouldn't play out here. There are Plutarkian patrols."

She turns and sees- a sudden burst of static so strong it wakes her, leaving her sitting in her bed in Limburger tower with a hand against her head.

…

"So, who do we have today, Doctor?" Limburger asks.

Karbunkle pushes a button on the transporter and it glows, then opens. A tall, thin man wearing a worn suit steps out, smoke drifting up from his cigarette. "Walker (wheeze) John."

…

The man in the suit easily scales the fence and drops into the yard of the garage. He creeps to the shed, checks the door and finds it unlocked, slips in. The mice are sleeping. He takes a step back, closes the door again, then lunges forward and kicks it open.

The mice are on their feet immediately, faced with a man with a gun. Throttle's reaction is surprised recognition.

"Come on, mousies." He talks with his cigarette clamped between his teeth. "You're coming with me."

Modo shoots at him, but he dodges. Throttle shouts a warning, the man fires a few shots but they don't hit anything.

Frowning, Throttle dials down the pulse on his gun to stun. "Walker." He says loudly.

The man turns, Throttle fires, he drops.

"What the hell is going on!" Charlie runs in through the still open door.

"Come on, get him inside." Throttle says.

"Shouldn't you tie him up?" Modo asks a few minutes later.

Throttle shakes his head. "Nah, he's OK."

"He just tried to kill us!" Vinnie protests.

Throttle shakes his head again. "I've never seen him miss. Ever. No, he wasn't after us. Not really."

"Who is he?" Charlie asks.

"Walker John. He's...sort of a bounty hunter." Throttle says.

"And you know him how?" Charlie pushes.

"Old times, Charlie-girl." Throttle says, and that's the end.

Walker winces, reaches up to touch his head. He shields his eyes from the light with one hand.

"Thank you," he sits up "for not killing me."

"What's going on, Walker?" Throttle asks. "Why are you here?"

"Got hired to bring you back to the tower." Walker lights a cigarette. "That fish wants you, bad."

"Yeah, I know."

"There's somebody there you should know about." Walker says.

"Who's that?" Throttle asks.

"I think you should see for yourself." Walker says.

"I know about Sofia." He says.

"It's not Sofia." Walker says. "Somebody else. You guys should get down there. Never know how long they can last under the pressure, you know."

Throttle gives him a strange look, then shrugs. "Ok. I trust you."

"Just, ah, let me get my bounty before you guys trash the place." He says.

Throttle laughs. "It's a deal."

….

Rain falls softly over a city lit with neon. A form snaps away from the wall, a long shadow dressed in a rumpled suit. The man drops his cigarette butt into a puddle where it sizzles, turns on one foot and walks down to the warm yellow square of light drifting from the bar.

"She's here somewhere." He says to the orange haired woman at the bar.

"Do you know where?" May asks.

He shakes his head. "No, not yet."

May nods. She motions to her companion. "This is Throttle.

"Hey." Throttle lifts a hand in his direction.

"Walker John." The man says, tipping his hat.

….

"Hey!" Charlie says loudly, grabbing Walker by the arm as they are leaving. "You ain't planning on double crossing my boys, are you?"

Walker chuckles. "My dear lady, I'd do nothing of the sort."

He sees the look on her face and goes on. "Throttle is an old and dear friend of mine. I'd never endanger him. More than he would himself, that is."

Charlie narrows her eyes, looks him up and down, then finally nods. "Ok. But if they get hurt, I'm gonna come kick your sorry ass."

Walker bursts into laughter. "Where in the world did they find you?"

"Right here." Charlie crosses her arms.

Walker shakes his head gently as he heads through the door.

….

"I can't believe it. It actually worked. He's bringing them in." Limburger looks down from his window.

"I (hiss) told you, your Extra Sharp Ripeness." Karbunkle says.

Limburger triggers the door latch and lets them in.

….

Sofia stands on the balcony and watches as Walker comes in with the three mice. Charlie is nowhere to be seen. Her ears flick, then she turns and walks back into the darkness.

Goons surround the mice. Throttle lifts a hand, stilling his friends fire. Limburger steps down from the stairs, his face glowing.

Money exchanges hands. Walker John looks over at the mice and salutes them.

"I'll just be on my way." Walker says. And then he is gone, just gone, slipping away between molecules.

"I didn't know he could do that." Limburger murmurs.

Karbunkle shrugs.

"Now, my dear mice, time to say goodbye."

He triggers the door in the floor, grinning widely as the bio-mech slinks up. It stands, reforming, giving itself arms, reaching for the mice.

Throttle, Vinnie, and Modo fire. As the machine-creature is struck it shakes it's head, steps back, then pounces at them. They scatter. It slides across the floor, strikes the wall, gets up again. The arms are rotating down, the body changing as it takes on a more catlike form, compressing down.

The building is shaking, the abused foundation no longer able to cope with the movement.

The machine-creature turns, chunks of plaster falling across it's back. Its head extends again, looking. For the second time Throttle finds himself reaching out, holding his palm as if expecting it to sniff him. The bio-mech tilt's its head slowly to the side, then straightens. It seems to be studying him. He can hear people shooting, but it seems far away, as he places his hand on the gigantic face.

...

Walker half drags the pink haired woman toward the ship, at last pulling her through the door and onto the bridge.

May turns to look at her. "Hello, Roxanne."

Walker pushes her down onto a couch. "There you go."

"Awesome. I knew I could count on you. You want this on your account?"

"Please." Walker tilts his hat at her, then turns and is simply gone.

….

The storm has passed and the desert is in bloom. Carbine and Rimfire pick their way back down the rocks and stand among flowers that are already frantically releasing clouds of pollen. A shrieker swoops down from a ledge above them and snatches a flouter out of the brush before winging off, cutting the air with it's shrill cry.

As they travel on, they start to see irrigation ditches. The ground here is covered with plants and brush, some of it in crops in neat rows, others wide pastures where horned knomfers graze. One of them lifts its head and gives a braying honk as they pass.

They see a large wagon loaded with dung turning off into a large, wide building where the manure is pressed into bricks, then dried to burn.

The town of Rainbarrel is built where water comes out of the mountain. Carved into the rock, the round doors are connected by series of long staircases, the sides of which flow with gutters full of clear water. The steam-powered city chugs gently.

…

Inside the pod, Diesel looks through at the mouse. As she tilts her head again, the body follows. She reaches out and places her own hand on the inside of the hood, just under his palm.

There is that feeling again, like feedback in her mind, but this time she doesn't pull away. She knows that mouse, knows him from a long time ago. She feels a wall, a shell, and pressed against it. Sharpening into a spike, driving in until it cracks and falls away.

…

The bio-mech pulls back, shaking it's head hard. It seems uncertain of what to do.

"Kill them!" Limburger is shouting.

Throttle realizes they are still being shot at. He can hear Vinnie and Modo shouting to eachother as they drop a couple of goons.

Another shake of the head, and then it is taking steps backward, turning, looking for an escape. Throttle jumps out of the way as it bounds straight through the wall. The building can't take anymore and starts to crumble in earnest.

"Come on!" Throttle shouts, pulling the other mice along with his voice.

The waiting bikes roll up as they climb out through the hole. They've been watching, and immediately follow the bio-mech.

…

She has to get somewhere and clear her head. Diesel looks around, adjusts the rear end of the mech and leaps up on top of a building, then over to another. Above the city she looks down, then lets her eyes roam up to the sky. Something...

The crack widens and light begins to seep out. She touches it, and memory flickers. Grabbing the sides of the crack she rips it all the way open.

….

"Where are you headed?" The female mouse asks, straightening up from the garden.

"Firebrand." Carbine says.

"You've got quite a way to go." She comments.

Carbine nods in agreement.

"Storms are bad here this time of year." the mouse adds after a moment.

"So I've heard." Carbine says. "Well, thank you."

"Mm." The mouse goes back to her flowers.

"So, what are we gonna do?" Rimfire asks.

Carbine looks at the ominous clouds gathering again. "I suppose we stay here." She says.

"All in!" A voice cries later that evening. "All in that's in! All out that's out!"

After repeating this a few times, the mouse triggers a generator in the center of the town and a protective shield spreads in a dome. A moment later rain starts to pound down, the water sliding off of the field and obscuring the world outside. Immediately, the humidity inside increases and soon steam is filling the street, refracting the glowing lamps into hazy halos.

….

"Where'd it go?" Vinnie asks.

Something drops out of the sky and lands in the street in front of them, reforms it's body. It lowers it's head again, looking at them. Then slowly the face begins to slide back, opening, revealing a pod that slides away.

A female mouse is sitting inside, pale brown with a short unkempt mane.

Throttle freezes. His mouth falls open. Vinnie looks over and sees that Modo has a strange expression on his face.

"You guys know her?" He ventures.

"Diesel!" Throttle manages finally.

"Hi, dad." She lifts a hand to him.

…

"Dad?" Charlie asks a bit later as they are all standing in the garage.

Diesel leans against her father, who is still holding her protectively in his arms. His face presses into her hair.

"What happened?" Throttle asks.

"Oh, boy, this is a long story." Diesel says. "Here, it's probably better if I just show you. Come on, huddle up." She makes shooing motions.

Once they have arranged themselves suitably, she reaches out, touching minds, connecting, and then she begins her story.

….

Thunder rumbles outside. Carbine sits on the bed, looking through the window at the steamy streets. She sees a mouse and hesitates, she's sure she knows him. Then suddenly she is on her feet, running outside.

"Ratchet!" She shouts as her foot hits the street.

He turns to look at her. "General?"

She grabs him unexpectedly, pulling him into a tight hug. "You're alive!"

"Yeah, I'm...I'm fine." He isn't sure how to handle this display of affection.

"What happened? You were dead!"

"Was I?" He hesitates. "I remember going on a mission and then...I dunno, we all woke up at the base and the Keepers of the Dead said we had to leave."

"We?"

"Yeah, all of us. We couldn't find you so we just sort of...scattered." He motions with his hands.

Carbine stumbles back, falling against a wall. She slides slowly down. She feels as if an immense darkness has been lifted from her soul.

"Are you OK? General?" He thinks she's crying, but when she looks up he can see she's laughing.

Weak with relief, Carbine nods. "I'm fine. I'm just fine."

"What are you doing here?" Ratchet ventures at last.

"Throttle disappeared." Carbine says. "After you- after the base got shut down...I'm trying to find him."

Ratchet nods. "You want some company?"

"I've got Rimfire with me." Carbine says. "The more the better, 'specially where we're heading."

"You going to Firebrand?" Ratchet asks.

She nods.

"Yeah, I'll come with you. Um, ma'am. Do I still have to call you ma'am?"

Carbine hesitates, then shakes her head. "No. Not anymore."

"Think I will anyway. If you don't mind." Ratchet says, coloring slightly.

She laughs.

….

"What in the blazes just happened!" Limburger roars. "You said she was under control!"

"I don't know, your (wheeze) fermented succulence." Karbunkle says, brushing dust off of his lab coat. They are standing on the former site of the tower, now a pile of rubble again.

"I'm beginning to think your methods are slipping." Limburger grunts.

"At least the (wheeze) basement is left." Karbunkle says, changing the subject.

"Is our generator still functioning?" Limburger asks.

Karbunkle nods.

"Good. Make sure it stays that way." Limburger turns to look in the direction of the garage.

….

"Stuck?" Charlie asks.

"Yeah, I can't contact the ship, and she obviously can't find me. There's something blocking the signal, and I'm pretty sure it's Limburger. He's using pandimensional generators now."

"I thought those weren't stable." Throttle says.

"They're not, not unless they're being run through a living organism."

"So that's why they wanted Adam." Throttle says.

"Adam?" Vinnie echoes, but Throttle ignores him.

"Exactly. But they really screwed up with that one, he's gone now. Or should I say back."

"So how are they running the generator?"

"I'm not sure. We've gotta get back in there and have a look." Diesel says.

"The place is gonna be crawling right now." Throttle says. "We should wait, let things cool down."

….

The dome opens and a cloud of steam rolls up into the air and disperses. Mice begin hanging damp linens out to dry in the sun.

Carbine, Rimfire, and Ratchet start out in the direction of Firebrand. As they move away from Rainbarrel the terrain starts to get rougher, scattered with rock formations, perfect for bandits. The mice are on high alert.

Sure enough, not to far in a group of hyenas steps out into the road. Without hesitating Carbine draws her weapon and aims it at one. They look at eachother, then step back out of the way.

"That's better." Carbine mutters as they pass.

"Nice going, ma'am." Ratchet says.

Carbine shakes her head. "Just luck. They won't all be so accommodating. I'm more worried about getting through to the next settlement before nightfall."

…

"Ok, let's go." Throttle says. " Charlie, Diesel, sta-"

"Oh, hell no." Diesel says flatly. "I ain't stayin here."

"Neither am I." Charlie says.

Throttle sighs. "Fine. Charlie, you're with Vinnie, Diesel-"

"I'm takin Al." She motions toward the back yard, where a tarp covers the bio-mech.

"Looks like you've lost control of your team." Throttle jerks around to see Frumplenorf leaning on the doorway.

"What are you doing here?"

She shrugs. "Curiosity."

"Watch it doesn't kill you."

"What are you gonna do?" She asks.

"Why do you care?"

A grin appears. "You don't have a plan."

He doesn't answer.

"That girl of yours, she's one hell of a pilot."

Throttle nods. "Always was. Are you going to get in our way?"

"Me? Nah. I'm just watchin." She steps away and motions him past. "By all means."

….

The attack comes from nowhere, hyenas dropping in on them, knocking them off of the bikes. Carbine manages to shoot one of them, then they are overpowered, tied up, and bundled into a wagon with a handful of other mice. Carbine works the rope around her wrists but it's well tied. She glances over at Rimfire and Ratchet, who are wearing matching determined looks.

She reaches for them, brushing their minds. She can feel the other mice, but they are murky and she doesn't try for contact.

_Can you get out of your ropes? _

_No. To tight. _

_Wait then. _

_Yes ma'am. _

She falls silent, thinking.

….

Diesel slides through alleys and over buildings, a mass that appears and vanishes, leaving people shaking their heads. She lands right in front of the tower as the bikes pull up. The area has been fenced off, but she leaps it easily.

Extending her arms into thick claws, she starts to dig through the foundation, quickly tearing through to the intact basement level. She drops down, landing softly in the huge machine. The mice follow her. She slinks down a hall to a locked door and stops.

"We need in." She says, her voice strange through the creature.

The mice obligingly blow the door, and she goes in, still inside the bio-mech. Something is pulsing with a bright light, a sac suspended in the air, attached by cables to a machine that thrums gently. Inside the sac something is moving, something large, cramped in it's prison.

The mice are temporarily stunned, but Diesel immediately moves forward, the mech changing, growing arms as it reaches toward the light. Throttle shouts to her but it is to late, the machine has already grasped it, is lifting it up. The sac trembles.

The head of the bio-mech is folding open, Diesel standing there, extending a hand to touch the thing. When her fingers brush it, it trembles, then breaks.

She is thrown by the shock down to the ground as the thing inside the sac unfolds, twisting and turning as it expands from it's prison.

"Come on!" Throttle grabs her arm as she gets to her feet.

"No!" She screams. "Al!"

The bio-mech is being consumed, struggling with the creature that had been in the sac, the thing that is still expanding, filling the world with vibrations that boarder on music. Diesel bolts, running up and climbing frantically toward the bio-mechs still open head.

"Leave it!" Throttle shouts, but it's to late. "Dammit!"

As Diesel regains control the bio-mech starts to fight back, pushing the monster away. Tentacles start to extend, wrap around the machine, pulling it into what is now an ever-expanding mouth.

….

"Got them!" Carbon shouts. "Diesel and party. And you're not gonna believe who she's with."

"Transport them all now!"

….

The ceiling is opening up, turning into churning blackness. The bio-mech is losing it's battle, almost consumed. There is a feeling of movement, a fast jarring swish that leaves them all stumbling. The bio-mech shakes it's head, then slowly lowers it to let Diesel step out.

"Oh boy, not here again." Modo mutters, looking around at the blue-black tubes.

"Sweet!" Diesel says. "We're home!"

She starts to walk purposefully down a path, Al at her heels. The blue-green fungus glows, giving them ambient light. She seems to know the way, navigating easily.

….

Deep under the tower, in her pod, Lilly dreams. Her hair shifts around her face as she moves slightly.

A movement, a ripple in time. Three mice, injured. She approaches them. A sliding sensation and she is stepping up into a large, sprawling house full of women, many of them injured. She begins working silently. Then a shift and she is standing in the entryway, her girls behind her, hands spread as the military presses in at the doors. Then things flicker, images of a lab, then nothing. She falls deeper into sleep, the light on the pod flickering softly.


	9. Chapter 9

9

Adam The Pirate leans back in his seat and puts his feet up on the control panel. The bridge of the ship is just a convenience, they might as well be sitting in a hot tub for all it matters to him. He feels the ship, the extension of himself, sliding through space. Planets full of life spin away under him, and he can hear them singing.

Roxanne sits down beside him, looks at him out of the corner of her eye. "So, what now?"

…

A lamp-post, glowing with a ball of blue-green light, hovering in the center of the clearing. Diesel walks over and puts her hand on it. "Bridge, all." She says.

There is that feeling again, the feeling of moving and standing still, as though the universe has rotated under them, and then the lamp is gone and they are standing in a large room. Charlie looks over to see Throttle pull off his shades and look around, his eyes wide.

"Finally! Jesus, I've been worried about you!" A female voice barks.

They all turn as one to see a female human standing nearby. She's wearing a navy blue uniform, though the jacket has been tossed casually over the back of an armchair. Her orange hair is pulled up into a spiky ponytail.

"Sorry." Charlie jumps to hear this in stereo from Throttle and Diesel.

"Honestly, you just disappear on me- both of you-" The woman crosses her arms and gives them a nasty look.

They both start talking at once, and it's several moments before they realize she's laughing and fall silent.

"Really, I have the worst luck with mice." She shakes her head. "So, do what do I owe the pleasure of your company First Officer?" Her voice is slightly mocking.

"Ah..." Throttle hesitates. "Well, there's...it's complicated."

"Mm-hm. Always is. I assume you're on other business and not coming back to rejoin my crew? Should I take you off the roster?"

"You left me-"

"I figured you'd be back." She shrugs. "Oh, and HQ doesn't know you're gone, by the way. You're welcome." She turns to Diesel. "Do you have anything to say about this?"

"I have no idea what happened. One second I was on Mars, then I was in some po-dunk little town called Hangdog."

"Yeah, I know. Were you responsible for all that mess in Chicago?"

"Ah...well, I..." Diesel looks around hopelessly.

"It was my fault." Throttle says.

"Very noble. But not true. You don't get into trouble."

"No, it really was. I saw who they had and I didn't stop them." His ears flick back, making him look very ashamed.

"Did you know what would happen?"

"I...suspected." He admits.

"Somebody wanna clue us in?" Charlie asks.

"Oh. Right." The woman seems to notice them again. "You wanna introduce your crew here?"

"Ah, Vincent, Modo, and Charlie" he motions toward them. "This is May. She's..."

"The captain." She breaks in. "And who's this?"

"This is Alucard." Diesel motions to the bio-mech.

"Lovely. Please put him away, and let's figure out what's going on around here. "

….

_What are we going to do? _

_As soon as they stop, rush them, grab a gun._

_Yes ma'am. _

Carbine looks around at her mice, their eyes now set with determination.

…

Limburger stares at the sad remains of his tower, which is now rapidly disappearing into a small black hole. It vanishes with a final pop. Something small and white flashes off into the sky.

"Well, that went (wheeze) better than expected." Karbunkle says. "They normally destroy whole (wheeze) planets."

Limburger massages his temples. "Please give me some good news, doctor."

"Well, your (wheeze) extreme ripeness, the mice seem to have (wheeze) vanished."

"That is good news." Limburger brightens. "Ah, Sofia."

She picks her way through the rubble to stand by his side. "This is quite a mess."

"It always is, my dear." He sighs. "It always is."

….

The second the back door is opened the mice are ready, and jump out, surprising the hyenas. Within seconds they have gained control of the situation. At least until Carbine is attacked from behind and subdued, then they are all tied up and hauled off to a tent where they are chained to a bar in the ground and left.

"Well, that didn't work." Rimfire comments.

"Ok, ok, I'm thinking." Carbine shakes him off with her ears.

….

"Come walk with me." May says, pulling Throttle away from the group as they are led to their temporary quarters.

Throttle falls in step with her as she starts to wander toward the deeper regions of the ship. They walk in silence for several moments, then come to her door. She triggers the latch and they step inside.

May flops down on the bed. "So, you saw Adam."

"Yeah. In a pod."

"And he's awake now." It isn't a question.

"I dunno. I guess so." Throttle says.

May nods. "Do you know what happened?"

"It was the Plutarkian transporter." Throttle says.

May nods again. "He used it to jump back into his body."

"So, what are you going to do now?" Throttle asks.

May makes a face. "Dunno. We'll see. What are you going to tell your friends?"

"I'm not sure yet. Not everything."

"Tell them whatever you need to." May says.

Throttle nods.

"So, tell me about your friends."

…

Carbine opens her eyes when she hears the guard leave, looking around at the other mice. Rimfire and Ratchet sit quietly in their spaces, their eyes on her. She reaches out to one of the other prisoners, finds minds closed and scarred, finally finds one that opens.

_Can you hear me? _

_Yes. _

_We can overpower them and escape, if we all work together. _

_What's the use? We're all dead anyway. _The mouse looks away, burying his face in his arms_. The military is gone. They'll take over everything. _

_We're not gone. Just...scattered. _

The mouse looks over at her, his eyes widen slightly as he takes in the dark hair and scar under her eye. Then he nudges the mouse beside him and motions toward her. A psychic murmur spreads. Then slowly minds open, waiting for a connection.

_Alright. Here's what we're going to do... _

…

Charlie turns to a knock on her door to find Throttle, Vinnie, and Modo standing in the hall.

"I think I owe you guys an explanation." Throttle says.

"Damn straight you do." Charlie crosses her arms over her chest.

"Alright, everybody get comfortable. This is going to take awhile." Throttle says.


	10. Chapter 10

10

Something moves toward the blue-green planet, something that hurtles through the atmosphere to strike with a soft impact and drill itself into the ground. Slowly it begins to grow. Time passes. Creatures live and love and die, and the thing goes on. The planet burns, washes clean, burns again. Forests grow and die, grow again, are cut down. Activity swarms, houses appear, fall, are built again. And the thing grows and grows, until it has spread deep under the ground, tendrils extending into a vast network, like a ring of mushrooms.

….

"Your parents didn't come to graduation." Kaliper says, eying Throttle meaningfully.

"Nah. They don't exactly approve of SpaceCorp." Throttle says, adjusting his cap.

"So, what are you going to do now?"

"Take the first ship off this heap." Throttle looks around at the sprawling city and winces.

"Well, you better hurry, then, there's a mission sign-up sheet in the mess hall." Kaliper lifts a hand, waving as he darts away.

It's almost a week before he gets his ship-out orders, and he checks his messages every day with baited breath until finally there is that beep, and he sees a ships name and ID flick up on the screen. He grabs his bags, packed since before he graduated, and heads out to the port, then takes a transport up to the docking station.

It takes him awhile to find the ship, and when he does he balks slightly. It's ancient, clearly in need of repairs. A female human is leaning against the hull, smoking. She puts it out and pockets what is left when he approaches.

"You must be Throttle." She says. "I'm May."

She's younger than he expected, she barely looks older than he is. Her bright orange hair and freckles don't help with her youthful air.

"Where's the rest of the crew?" Throttle asks when he steps on board.

"Just us and the engine man, he's off in the back somewhere." She turns her head. "Briggs!"

Another human, this one male, appears. His skin is darker, and he has a slightly round appearance and pleasant face drawn up in a wide smile.

"I'm Briggs." He says. "I'll be keeping this rust-bucket from falling apart."

"Hopefully." May adds.

"So, what are we doing?" Throttle asks, feeling more relaxed in the obviously informal environment.

"Shipping inspectors." She says brightly. "Fun, huh."

Throttle gets a surge of disappointment. He'd been hoping for something more exciting.

…

"You know, this isn't quite what I meant." Throttle gasps as they round a corner.

"Yeah, that's what you get when you want excitement." May says.

The three merchants were not happy to hear their entire shipment is illegal and subject to confiscation. So unhappy, in fact, that they immediately open-fired on the inspectors.

"What do we do now?" Throttle asks.

They have come to a dead end, and they can hear the merchants guards coming down the alley. It will only be seconds until they are upon them. May pulls something on a cord out of her shirt, a key. She slots it into a crack in the wall and turns. A door instantly opens. She grabs Throttle by the arm and pulls him through.

He raises a hand, blinking in sudden sunlight. They are standing on a raised hallway in a building on some alien planet. A white, angular house sits across a gravel parking lot. A building that looks like it matches they one they are in provides another boarder, and a paved road runs off down a gentle sloping hill. A sign is suspended on long poles above the strange surrounding trees.

Down across the lot, May pushes the door to the house open and they step inside. A man is sitting at the table in what must be the kitchen. He looks up, down the hall, sees them and lifts a hand.

"Hey Richard." May says. She looks around. "Where's Tommy?"

"School." Richard says.

"Oh, right." She rolls her shoulders around, seeming to relax into the environment. "This is Throttle." She puts an arm around him. "He's my buddy. Throttle, this is Richard Becket."

Richard tips his head in greeting. "Are you staying?"

"Nah, we're workin'." May says.

"Hey." Richard says, putting the paper down. "While you're here, we've been having some...I dunno, weird things have been going on. Weirder than normal."

May nods. "Sure, we'll check it out."

"What is that, some sort of transporter?" Throttle asks as they leave the house, walking down toward the road.

"Sort of." She says. "It's a passfeder. Sort of a universal door key. This one only comes here."

"And where's here?"

"Hangdog City. Earth." She pauses, then adds "Some year, don't know when. Never sure about that."

Throttle feels himself instinctively look up into the blue sky, searching for her neighboring planet, his home.

They cut down a footpath that leads through a stand of low brush, through fence and down a hill, over a small bridge that crosses a stream, then out into a pasture where dry grass grows high and strange grazing animals lift their heads and make trembling calls in their direction.

They see another of the houses, this one full of even more angles, with a tower rising from it's center. It looks old, the wood weathered to a uniform gray, the front porch sagging. What he took to be squares of painted color turn out to be bright papers attached to the wall and door.

"Caution- nonstandard spacetime" one reads. "This property exempt from article 15a of the UCCTD." Reads another. A third hand-written note advises them to 'turn off all temporal devices'.

May has to kick the door to get it to open, then they step inside. May looks around, then raises her voice to a shout. "Yo! Anybody home?"

When there is no response they go out the back door, which opens onto a strange sight. Throttle doesn't know how he didn't notice the things arranged back here, the large low building, the windmill, what looks like a lighthouse, all scattered around a field in considerably better condition than they one they walked through to get here.

There are several people standing around, two of them leaning on a fence while a third seems to be working with one of the grazing animals, this one slightly different with longer ears. As they watch, the creature gives several leaping bucks, then jumps straight into the air. It's body is morphing, changing, then there is a powerful pump of wings and a reddish creature that looks completely different is in the air, dropping to the ground. A six limbed thing covered with feathers, it's head terminating in a lethal looking beak, four legs on the ground and long wings folding at it's sides.

"Hey, troublemakers." May calls loudly.

They all turn to look. The woman with the creature is thin, with long blonde hair twisted into dredlocks. One of the others is a tall, thin man, deathly white, wearing a dark suit. The other is a female with orange hair pulled back under a bandanna, one that bears a striking resemblance to May.

There is a sharp sound and another animal, a small black, white, and brown creature, trots up to them wagging it's tail.

"Hey Molly. Good girl." May leans down to pet the animal. "I heard there's some weird shit goin on around here."

"There is." The deadlocked one says.

"What's going on?"

"Not sure." She snaps her fingers and the creature reverts to it's four legged form, it's long upright ears flicking at them. "Good girl, Pippy."

….

"A son?" Mercury Crowe looks up. "With who?"

"That trade girl, May." Hattie adjusts her hair a final time and places the tophat on her head, tilting it slightly for a better aura.

"The survivor of the StarShine?"

"The very same."

"Hmmm. That's interesting. That's very interesting." Crowe temples his fingers, drumming them gently against eachother.

"Should we pay him a visit?" Hattie asks.

"I think we should, indeed." Crowe says with a slow smile.

…

Lines are coming together, merging, connecting like the center of a spider web, over the small town. HangDog shivers in anticipation.

…

Adam, Prince of the Pirates, lounging in his ship as he waits for the patrol to drift past. The SunDog hugs the asteroid, running dark and silent.

"You feel that?" His partner, a woman with spiky pink hair, asks from the back.

"Feel what?" He asks.

"Things are happening." Roxanne slides into the seat beside him. "Big things."

"Damn straight they are, you know how much money we're getting off of this?" Adam says.

"No, not that. Something else. Something..." She hesitates, unsure of exactly how to phrase it.

….

The windmill starts to turn. May looks up at it, shielding her eyes with one hand. Her face changes, concern lining her mouth, making her look older. "That's no good."

"Things are coming." The deadlocked woman says. "Big things. Word on the street is Crowe is coming to town."

May blanches. "Why?"

"Why do you think?" The woman asks.

May swallows, she seems to have a bad taste in her mouth.

The windmill spins on, chugging gently though there isn't even a breeze.

….

Devil Falls, where Drowning Dog Creek drops off into the cliff. A fifteen year old girl stands with her hands on the rail of the overlook, smoking a cigarette. She hears someone in the woods and turns, dropping the butt off the side of the cliff.

A man is coming down through the trees. He's slightly taller than average, and she decides he looks nice with shaggy blonde hair and a burgundy sweater rolled up at the arms.

"Hi." He says, coming onto the road.

"Hi." She says, slightly cautious.

"Can you tell me how to get back into town? I seem to have gotten myself lost." he smiles sheepishly. "I'm Nick."

She looks at his extended hand for a second, then takes it. "Serena. Just follow this road, it'll take you back to the park."

She watches as he strides off, her dark eyes unreadable. Then she turns back, looking down again. Her fingers clench on the railing. After a moment she pulls a crumpled pack from her pocket and lights another cigarette.

…

"Hey, M-" Tommy hesitates, seeing the visitor and finishes "May."

"Hey kid. Howya doin?" May asks.

The orange-haired boy shrugs his backpack off. "Eh."

"Look, I need you to be careful, OK? Something's going on around here."

"Something's always going on." Tommy says, then sees the look in her eyes and quickly waves her off "Ok, ok, I'll be careful."

"Where are you going?" May asks, as he starts toward the door again.

"Gonna go hang out with Kevin and Eric." He says.

They watch the boy leave.

"Anyway, the disturbance appears to be centered here." Richard points to a spot on the map.

"What is that, the old sanitarium?" May asks.

Richard nods.

"Of course it is." May says with a sigh. "Ok, I guess we need to go check that out."

…

Treehill House sits up at the top of a rise, with the forest dropping away from the sides. At one time it was well kept, but the years have filled the sprawling yard with weeds, cracked the windows, and broken parts of the roof. It seems to lurk there as if waiting.

…

Tommy pushes the door of the abandoned house open and steps inside, followed by his two friends. The mansion was nice once, the wallpaper is peeling and the floor has warped with water, but aside from that it looks as though the people living there had just left for a moment. Dishes are still stacked in the cabinets, the bedrooms sit with beds made and waiting. The entire place smells like mold.

…

May forces the door of the asylum open and they both freeze. The inside isn't the way it should be. Thick black things like tubes have grown up all around, forming a strange forest. They step inside and the door slams behind them.

"What is this place?" Throttle asks.

May shakes her head. "Dunno. But this is definitely where the anomaly is coming from. Come on, I get the feeling what we want is downstairs. "

…

Tommy opens the basement door and looks down in. He turns to his friends, who all motion to him, then he steps down.

There is an odd feeling, like a whoosh, and then as his eyes adjust he sees that he is surrounded by strange dark tubes. Looking back he can't see the house anymore, the stairs go up and up and then vanish into the darkness. A light is coming from beneath, and he starts down, more fascinated than afraid.

…

Mercury Crowe, still wearing his Nick disguise, strides up the hill. He sees an old truck parked in the yard and grins to himself, looks like the cavalry has already arrived. He walks up to the door, opens it, and tosses something in. A round object that begins to grow and unfurl as it hits the ground, forming into something vaguely doglike. It lowers it's head, seeming to sniff the ground, then runs off.

Crowe chuckles to himself. See how they handle that.

….

'Morgue' reads the sign over the door surrounded by tubes. May pulls it open and they look down the steps, where something is glowing gently. They start down.

…

The unseen threads tremble again, then surge. Adam is standing up when he is suddenly gone, vanishing from the ship with a soft pop. Roxanne stares at the place he had been, her mouth slowly falling open. Then she sits down at the controls and starts to type.

….

The creature has grown, now the size of a pony it slinks through the tunnels, head low. It catches the scent again and breaks into a run.

….

"It's a maze." Throttle says.

May frowns. "I get the feeling these all lead to the same place." She says, motioning toward the weak light.

They have walked a few hundred yards when there is a sound from behind them. Something is coming down the path. A creature, eyeless, made of the same tubing as surrounds them, is hurtling down the path toward them. Throttle yanks out his gun and shoots, but it doesn't seem to have much effect.

May grabs his arm and pulls him into the mass of tubes, the creature hits and makes an angry sound but can't push through.

"We have to hit another path if we keep going." May says.

They make their way through the tubes until there is a clearing ahead. Stepping out they see a wide opening with a pool of water in the middle. They start to walk out but there is a sound, a strange deep growl, and something huge steps through the tubes at the other side.

It moves it's long head, huge underslung jaw opening and closing. It is six limbed, standing on four legs with the other two modified into scythes. The size of an elephant, it seems to watch them warily with an eyeless face.

May stops, they stand there for a second. Then something else moves, something smaller. A creature their size, with long ears and a doglike face. It walks on two legs, reaches out with one hand to touch the creature on the leg. It moves away.

"What are you doing here?" The creature asks.

"We came from the town. Something's happening here, I'm not sure what it is. Something big." May says.

The creature nods.

"What is this place?" May asks.

The creature seems to consider for a moment, then says "Stringworld." As though this is supposed to provide an explanation.

"Can we pass?" May asks.

The creature nods, and motions the animal back. "Follow the path." It advises.

They go down the path on the other end of the clearing, walking carefully past the creature. After awhile, they come to a swamp with a raised walkway across, then on the other side they go down another wider path and are stepping out into a broad, blue-green lit city.

…

Mercury Crowe steps into the sanitarium, looks around at the fungal tubes, and smiles. He walks purposefully over to an opening in the wall and steps through it, there is a flash of light and he is gone.

…

Someone grabs Tommy by the arm and he jumps. A man with blonde hair.

"What are you doing here, boy?" He asks, though not unpleasantly.

"I'm not sure." Tommy admits.

The man smiles. "Come with me."

Tommy follows him, glad to find something that looks normal.

…

The city is occupied by more of the creatures. They seem to notice them but not particularly mind. There is a bright light glowing on a tower in it's center.

"Think that's where we're going." May motions.

…

They step through a portal and then are standing in a large room with a glowing device at it's center. Nick pats Tommy on the shoulder. "It won't be long now."

"What do you mean?" He asks.

"You'll see." He says.

Something about the tone of his voice makes Tommy uncomfortable.

Throttle and May make it to the top of the tower, step in. May freezes.

"Tommy! Come away from him!" She says.

"What? Why?" Tommy starts to walk toward them, but Nick grabs his shoulder.

When Tommy turns he sees that Nick is gone, replaced with a man with spiky white hair and a strange cloak that seems to be accented with living birds.

"Where is he?" Mercury Crowe asks.

"Who?" May asks.

"Don't play games with me." Crowe snarls.

"I don't know." May says. "I don't know where he is."

"Looking for me?" The male voice comes from the doorway. Adam steps in, looking as always like a pirate from a romance novel.

"Nice of you to join us." Crowe says.

"What do you want, Crowe?" Adam asks.

"Why, you my dear boy."

There is a shuddering, then the light is growing brighter.

"You idiot!" May screams suddenly. "You can't have him this close to the power source!"

The light is getting brighter, and now Adam seems to be breaking at the seams.

"Let him go." He says.

Crowe steps back, his hand loosens. Tommy kicks him hard in the leg and breaks away, running over to May and Throttle.

Adam steps toward the light, his body getting brighter and brighter.

"No! Adam!" May screams.

"Go." Adam shouts at her.

He is starting to drift away into bright streaks, through which his body still shows, seeming to weaken, falling toward the ground. He is breaking into brightness, glowing like the sun is trapped within him.

Crowe sweeps his cloak around himself, and then he is gone, slipping between molecules.

"Come on!" Throttle grabs her arm, dragging her toward the exit.

The light gets brighter, washes over them, then there is nothing but fire.

Throttle finds himself still gripping her arm, standing out in the yard as the ancient building collapses in on itself in a burst of light.

May sinks slowly to the ground, sitting on her knees. She looks stunned. "Adam." She says weakly.

Tommy sniffs and wipes eyes, then sits down beside her. They huddle together, sobbing quietly.

Throttle stands, looking at them, unsure of what just happened.

As the dust settles, birds begin to sing. Crickets chirp from the tall grass. May stands up slowly, wipes her face, composes herself.

"Come on." She sounds tired. "Lets go home."


	11. Chapter 11

11

"Hey. Come with me." May says, opening Charlies door without preamble.

"You're the mechanic, right? Then you should know about the ship." May leads her down the hall and pulls a door open.

They are looking down into a mass of the tubes they'd seen before. Charlie balks.

"It's OK. Nothing here will hurt you." She says. "Come on, lets go."

Down several winding paths, and Charlie finds herself looking at a hangar. A ship is sitting in the bay, looking quite worn and rusted.

"This is Bessie. We're going to seed her." She leads Charlie closer, and she sees a group of the long-faced creatures circled around it.

"These are marasats." She says. "They work on the texo fungus, that's the stuff this place is made of." she motions around her.

"We're ready." one of them says.

"Good. Go ahead." May steps back. "Watch this."

One of the marasats pulls something small and dark out of a pouch and places it in the ship, then he wraps his tail around it. There is a slight crackle, like electricity, and then it is growing. Dark tendrils extend, eating the ship, until the back half is a mass of the fungus. Glowing extensions appear, seem to cool, when it settles it looks as though the ship has been consumed by anemones.

"And there we go." She says. "Now you have a pandimensional ship."

"So, is there one of these cities in there?"

"There will be eventually, right now it'll just be the one engineer. Here he is now. Kode." She calls. "This is Charlie."

"We've met." Kode says brightly.

"Have you, now. Well that's interesting. Ok, you've seen the ship convert, Throttle knows how to run it, you've got Kode, you're good to go."

"Go?" Charlie says.

"I assume you all have things to do." May says.

"Oh, well, yeah, I...Oh no! Spike! I need to feed Spike!" Charlie wrings her hands as waves of guilt roll over her.

"You wanna call somebody? You can use my cell." She offers it out. "Just dial like usual."

Charlie is surprised to hear her mother immediately answer. She tries to explain without explaining, and finally just says she and the guys have been waylayed, and asks her mother if she'd drive out and pick up the hamster. Her mother agrees, not wanting a living thing to suffer.

"Good? Good." May takes her phone back. "Now lets get back up to the deck."

…

"So, what now?" Vinnie asks.

"Well, we have to get back to Earth to stop Limburger." Throttle says. "But first, I think we need to go to Mars."

…

The mice strike as one. Within seconds they have taken the hyenas leader captive and are busy freeing the other would-be slaves.

Carbine steps backward, covering them with one of their own guns. "You aren't going to do something stupid like come after us, are you?"

One of the hyenas nudges another and whispers something. A murmur runs around the crowd, then they start shaking heads.

"No, er, general ma'am." The leader says.

"Good." Carbine shoulders the rifle and motions to the group. "Lets get out of here." She whistles and the bikes pull up.

When they are far enough away to be safe, Carbine stops. "I'm going to Firebrand." She says. "Anybody who wants to come with me is welcome."

"We don't have anywhere else to go." One of the mice says.

"Well, Firebrand is as good a place as any." Carbine says. "You're welcome to come along with me. It's safer in numbers, anyway."

….

"Alright, we're gonna pull away, then jump to just over Mars." Throttle says. "We'll land at the base."

When Bessie leaves the Daye, gravity dissipates, leaving them floating gently against their harnesses.

"Preparing to jump." Throttle says, then raises his voice "Kode!"

"Gotcha. Locking in coordinates. You're good to go."

The ship seems to sit still while the universe slides around them. They bob to a gentle stop with the red planet glittering in the viewscreen.

"Lets do a fly-over." Throttle says. "See what it looks like."

Charlie watches as the planet rolls beneath them. She can see dark spots, vegetation and what must be settlements. Something occurs to her and she turns.

"Do you guys mess with the rover?" She asks.

"The what now?"

"We've got a little machine on the planet. It says there's nothing here."

Throttle shrugs. "Not that I know of. Maybe it's in the desert and just hasn't found anything yet?"

"What will you do?" Charlie asks. "If everybody finds out about you."

Throttle tilts his head, seeming to think for a moment. "You know, you've been able to see up here for a long time. Maybe your government is keeping secrets from you."

"I'm sure they are." Charlie says. "I'm sure they are."

They swoop in and land near the base. Something is wrong. It's dark, and when they approach they find it is clearly abandoned. A sign hangs on the gate "Quarantine."

Throttle lifts a hand. "Hang on, we don't want to get sick. Kode, can you get us something that can go inside there?"

"I'm on it." Kode pulls a small black mass, a seed, out of his hip pocket and wraps his tail around it, there is the zap again and then he lets it roll to the ground. It takes on a vaguely dog-like form and breaks into an easy lope into the base. It returns several minutes later and projects images from a panel on it's head.

"I don't see any bodies." Throttle comments. "Maybe they all left."

"Where would they go?" Charlie asks.

Throttle frowns. "Lets start at the nearest one and work our way out toward Firebrand. That's the biggest settlement around here."

The ship causes quite a stir as they fly low over the ground, looking for any sign of the military mice. Ships are a rarity here, and the youngsters run out along under them, heads tilted up, shouting excitedly while the adults lift hands to shade their eyes and watch as it passes over, their faces pensive.

"Yes, I've seen her. Traveling with another mouse, a young male." The bartender in Volcano flats says. "She was looking for someone." he narrows his eyes. "I think it might have been you, come to think of it."

"Where were they heading?"

"Over to Firebrand." He says.

Throttle nods. Good. "How long ago was that?"

"Oh, about a week now."

"So, to Firebrand?" Vinnie asks.

"No, we're gonna take it slow. Stop on the way. Make sure she's not staying somewhere." Throttle says.

…

The ragged troop of mice stops at the top of the hill, looking down into the valley that is Firebrand. Water is pumped up out of the ground and fed into a vast irrigation and plumbing system. Ships are even coming in for landings here. This is the current hub of all Martian trade.

As they get closer, Carbine sees that everything shines with a strange light, blue-green in tint. Long glowing strands are run from building to building.

A guard stops them at the entrance. "Weapons." He says.

Carbine hands them over. He carefully notes each one, then hands her a receipt before storing them in a large rotating bin.

Through the wall, the city glows more brightly. She can see tall towers set with what look like gigantic eyes, watch towers, glowing above the buildings. This place makes her vaguely nervous. It's to much like the way things used to be. On the outside, at least. She is pleased to see mice running around in the street, children playing, and the only guards seem to be lounging against the walls or napping on low benches.

Where would Throttle go, if he came here? She thinks back carefully, then smiles. Of course, the place he always goes. She looks around until she sees the top of the monastery, and heads in that direction.

The monks have taken a vow of silence, but the one she shows Throttle tilts his head, then puts a hand on her arm and leads her away. Leaning in, he gives her images, old images of Throttle the way he had been during the war.

_But not since then? _

A shake of the head.

A female mouse appears, wearing a robe with the hood pulled back, her long hair plaited. "Father has asked that you stay with us while you are here."

Carbine hesitates.

"He says you are a blessing." The mouse goes on.

Carbine slowly nods.

"Your friends are welcome as well." She adds.

Carbine nods again. "Thank you."

…

Throttle kisses down gently on the landing pad and they disembark into the Martian sun. An attendant walks over, makes notes on their ship, then hands them a tag.

"Occupants of ship?" The attendant asks

"Ah, one, the engineer, he's staying." Throttle says.

"Does he have permission to move the ship if needed?"

"Sure, just ask him for whatever you need." Throttle says.

The attendant nods. "Leave your weapons." He advises before he walks away.

Through the walls and into a city that looks eerily familiar. "This place is like the engines." Charlie says.

"They must have a pandimensional source." Throttle says. "Maybe a seed that fell a long time ago."

"Is it dangerous?" Charlie asks.

Throttle shakes his head. "Not as long as they aren't using it to travel, and I doubt they have that technology."

"So, where to first?" Vinnie asks.

"I know." Modo says, his face breaking into a soft smile.

"Yeah, yeah." Throttle waves a hand at them. "You don't have to come if you don't want to."

But they do come, following him down the road and up the incline to the monastery.

A monk sees them approach, then turns and runs away. Throttle frowns and looks down at himself. He doesn't think he looks particularly threatening.

…

The young monk grabs Carbines arm and pulls her urgently toward the stairs. She hesitates for a second before following him. Down the hall they are starting evening prayers, the only time they make a sound, their voices raised in a humming, singing chant that rises and falls like water. The chanting swells as they reach the main floor, and the monk pushes her out into the wide room. Carbine looks around, then freezes.

The monks fall silent for a beat.

"Throttle." She says weakly.

He turns from where he has been looking at a fresco. His face lights up. "Hey, babe."

She doesn't remember going to him, but suddenly she is in his arms. Everything seems to topple down at once and then she is talking fast, stumbling over herself, explaining about the plague and the subsequent reanimation of the mice, her search, capture, and escape, and finally drifts to a stop.

"I missed you, too." Throttle says.

..

"I'll stay here." Rimfire says. "These mice need me."

"Me, too." Ratchet says.

Carbine nods. "Good. Guys, I'm going with you." She motions toward Throttle. "That is, if you don't mind, Charlie."

"No problem" Charlie says. "It'll be great to have you around."

And so they leave the glowing city and step back into Bessie, who takes them off the planet then spins the universe ever so slightly to come back into existence just over the bright blue of Earth.


	12. Chapter 12

12

"You're back." Zee says.

"So are you." Charlie says.

She nods. "Wouldn't miss this for the world."

Charlie stops and turns to look at her. "Do you...do you understand what's going on here?"

Zee makes a motion with her head and shoulders, almost a shrug. "Some of it."

"Do you know about Adam?" She asks.

"Ah, Adam. I assume you mean Five Star." She says.

"What...what is he?"

"Hm, that's a good question." She seems to think for awhile. "I don't think there's a word for it in this language."

"Is he...human? I mean, one of us?" Charlie hesitates, then looks at her closely "Are you one of us?"

"Mostly." She says. "On both counts."

"So, why's he like that?" Charlie asks.

"Well, you know that Roxanne chick..." Zee starts.

….

The prison ship slides through space, it's engines thrumming gently. Inside, the crew and captives slumber in narrow white pods. There is a beep, a whirr, another beep. The captains pod flashes and begins to revive.

Captain Hollister peers at the readout on his desk as he sips coffee. A signal bleeping through space. He looks down at the display, showing a small dark orb.

He flicks his communicator. "Send me Roxanne and Adam."

The computer murmurs, then the display switches to the two pods. The people in them, one a girl, one a boy, begin to move. As the pods open, guard robots approach and lead them toward the main deck.

"You two," Hollister says a few minutes later "Have been selected for a mission. We're getting a signal from that...whatever it is. I want you to go check it out."

"Do we get anything for this?" Roxanne asks.

"Yeah. You get a break from stasis. Get down there." He jerks his thumb toward the transport room.

…

"So, how does he know we won't take off?" Adam asks as they step down onto the surface of the planet, which turns out to be something like a gigantic ball of yarn, the ground a mass of wrapped blue-black cables.

"Well, the transport ship only goes back up there. And what are we gonna do here, anyway?" Roxanne lifts a hand and peers toward the horizon. "Hey, do you see a light up there?"

It takes them several miles to hike to the light, which turns out to be a blue-green orb on a stand of the same tubes. There is a hole in the ground next to it with a gently sloping path going down.

Roxanne and Adam look at eachother. They both flick on their lights and step down.

After walking for awhile, they notice an ambient glow. Turning off the lights, the tunnel is lit by glowing fungus. The path starts to widen, opening up, then they are standing at the edge of a wide swamp, the tubes growing, twined together, from the water like trees. Orbs of blue-green light are suspended from the high branches, casting an eerie glow across the scene.

Something tall is moving off in the swamp, a creature with long, thin legs that wades through the water. It's huge shoulder blades, thrusting up above it's narrow back, swish as it walks. There is something riding on it, a smaller creature with a long face and long, back-turned ears. It's tail splits into three tips halfway down, which appear to be plugged into the creature.

Roxanne and Adam draw back until it has passed, then start to pick their way around the edge of the swamp. Soon they see a raised path made of the same material as everything else.

"You wanna try it out?" Adam asks.

"I'm game if you are." Roxanne says.

Across the path and through another tunnel, and then they are stepping into a wide round opening that looks as though it was once some sort of city. A weak, sick glow seems to come from it's center. They start to pick their way through what is left, buildings creates out of the dark tubes seem to be sagging and falling, and long pale strands are scattered all over the ground.

At the very center, there is a sack trembling with pale light, throbbing slightly.

Adam walks over to it, reaches out.

"I don't think that's a good-" Roxanne starts, but then his fingers touch it and there is a burst of light.

As the light glows brighter and brighter, engulfing Adam, the city seems to be shrinking, curling up, coming down. Roxanne is to stunned even to scream. The light becomes the world. When the light settles, Adam is left standing there. He is glowing from within, blazing like fire. He takes a step toward her, she draws back. He seems to cool, pulling in, then he is standing there.

"I...I can see." He says softly.

"See what?" Roxanne asks.

"Everything." Adam says.

The structure is still sliding, slowly now, solidifying into what is clearly a ship.

…

Captain Hollister spits his coffee out and stares at the planet, which has just exploded into a burst of light and then coalesced again into an elegant ship the likes of which he's never seen. It tilts from side to side, as if testing, then simply pops out of existence.

"Dammit!" He pounds his fist on the desk. This is coming out of his pay.

…

"I thought that stuff was controlled by the marasats." Charlie says.

"Normally yes. I suspect in this case Adam absorbed the pandimensional wave released by the seed as it died."

"So, what, he's like your dog now?" Charlie asks.

"Mm, more like he's a pandimesional ship in human form." She says.

"So Limburger wanted him because he can direct the energy for the transporters." Charlie says.

"Could be." Zee says.

Charlie falls silent for several minutes, letting this settle in.

"When Throttle came here before, when Crowe had Adams kid," Charlie says. "That energy or whatever, it wound up under Hangdog? So how did Adam's body get so far away?"

"That I don't know." Zee says.

Charlie thinks for a minute longer, then says "So, is he a good guy or a bad guy?"

"That depends on where you're standing." Zee says.

"I was afraid of that." Charlie says.

Zee smiles. "Oh, I dunno. You seem to have an awful lot of friends around here."

"Friends? We've been doing nothing but getting attacked since the Guys came back!" Charlie protests.

"Have you?" Zee smiles again. "Well, I gotta go. Places to do, people to kill..."

Charlie wishes she could believe she is joking.

….

"We seem to have reacquired our rodent problem" Limburger comments.

"Yes, your (wheeze) extreme cheesiness. And they've got the (wheeze) female mouse with them, the general."

"Lovely." Limburger sighs. "Please tell me you have some good news."

"Well, I do (wheeze) have a new, ah, associate." Karbunkle says.

"Excellent. Who is it this time?"

Karbunkle triggers the transporter, and a second later a woman steps through. She's wearing a long tail-coat and top-hat.

"I give you (wheeze) Hattie and her Midnight Menagerie."

Something else is slipping out through the transporter, something large and red that fills the room.

"Is that a griffon?" Limburger asks.

"Indeed it is." Hattie pats the animal fondly on the neck. "This is Pippy."

"Very nice to meet you." Limburger says.

"I'll bring the rest of my troupe in after I've had a look around." Hattie says.

Carbine stands on top of the building, her face dark. Throttle sits on his bike, resting his arms on the handlebars, his head down.

"What is she _doing_?" Carbine hisses.

Throttle glances over at Sofia on the balcony. "Dancing."

"Why?" Carbine asks irritably.

"Probably to piss you off." Throttle says.

"Well, it's working." Carbine grumbles.

…

Charlie wakes up and lies in bed, trying to figure out what brought her out of sleep. Then she hears it, drifting softly through the city noises. The high, strange sound of a calliope. She walks to her window and looks down.

A caravan is in the street, an honest one with covered wagons and cages pulled by dark, gaunt horses. The head carriage is pulled by a mule, driven by a woman in a top hat. The scene is so strange that Charlie is sure she must still be dreaming.

The caravan stops in front of the garage, and the woman looks up. She seems to see Charlie through the window and tips her hat. A boy hops down from another wagon and runs up, pasting something onto her wall, then jumps back on and the horses are off at a slow pace. Charlie leans down and tries to see into the cages, but they are covered and the angle is bad.

Once they have passed she goes downstairs and steps out, looking at the poster fixed to her wall. It is very retro, looking as though it was done on an old hand-pressed printer.

"Hatties Midnight Menagerie" the sign reads. "One Night Only." Then, underneath that "Limburger Park, Dusk till Dawn."

…

Carbine shifts in her sleep as strange music invades her dreams. Throttle moves, reaches for her, pulls her close to him. She half wakes, turning to him and pressing herself against his body.

….

"Hattie." Throttle says, looking at the poster.

"You know her, don't you." Charlie says, almost accusing.

"Yeah." Throttle puts the paper down. "She's bad news. This is definitely a trap."

"So, are we going?" Vinnie asks, excited.

"Of course we are." Throttle sighs. "But this time, we're going in prepared. Come on, lets go talk to Kode."

"About him, does he just live on the ship?" Charlie asks.

"Nah. He's got a portal. He'll show up when we need him." Throttle says.

They step into Bessie, and the marasat appears.

"I need you and Charlie to get us some pandimensional weapons." Throttle says.

Kode nods. "Sure. We can do that. You got a base I can use?"

A few minutes later, Kode lays the guns out on a table and peers at them, then pulls something out of his pouch. "Here. Take these."

Charlie takes the seeds. They feel slightly warm in her hands.

He pulls something else out of the bag and puts it in his mouth, then a moment later spits back into his hand. Small glowing blue-green balls.

"Ok, you take one of these and put it here in the chamber." He demonstrates. "Then you take one of these-" he takes a dark seed "and put it here, then I do this-" he zaps it with his tail and the weapon begins to bulge and morph as the fungus takes over. "And there we go. Easy, huh."

Charlie helps assemble them, watching as he activates them and then sets them aside.

Throttle appears again. "We need a net gun. A good one."

Kode nods again. "Right."

"And ropes."

"I'll go pull some in a minute." Kode says.

He vanishes into the depths of the ship, and later comes back with an armload of thin flexible tubes.

…..

Pete Davidson pauses as he hears something move in the brush. Some sort of animal, something big. A moment later it appears, walking slowly, limping on one front leg. Something huge and feathered. He knows what it is, he's seen them in books. A griffon.

He reaches out slowly and it extends it's head, lethal beak touching his palm gently. When he steps back, it follows him.

"I guess I should take you to the barn." He says.

The animal limps behind him to his barn, where he puts it in a stall. He goes back into the house, hesitating when he sees his parents.

"Where have you been?" His mother asks.

"Um, I have something to show you." he says.

His mother and father follow him into the barn. They stand beside the stall, looking in.

"Well, well, haven't seen one of these in a long time." His father says.

"It's hurt." Pete says, motioning toward it's leg.

"I can see that. Well, let's call the vet." His father says.

….

The park glows with small lights in the evening. The mice and Charlie pull up, looking around. There is a small crowd gathered, wandering toward the caravans.

"Come on." They leave the bikes and head toward the entrance.

The clown at the entrance, if you could call him that, waves them past without tickets, turning to watch them as they pass into the circle.

The caravan seems to be host to a variety of creatures from human folklore that Charlie assumes are simply alien species. They move in the confined space, their eyes bright. Something that looks like a dinosaur, an animal with a lizard-like head and feathered body, squawks at her from behind the bars. A lion with a scorpions tail paces.

At the very end of the circle, farthest from them, something glows inside it's cage. Charlie feels drawn toward it, almost irresistibly. Moving closer, leaving the group, she approaches. The creature is white like the moon, something with thin delicate legs and a long neck, a single horn spearing up toward the roof of the cage.

Charlie stops, staring at the unicorn, transfixed. She reaches out slowly and the animal moves closer, it looks like it is going to sniff her fingers, then it leaps, slamming it's forelegs down, it's horn swiping, rattling the bars. She jumps back.

She turns and sees that Carbine is chuckling. "Aggressive, aren't they."

"Oh, wow." Vinnie says. "Can't believe she's got one of these guys."

The unicorn is glaring at them. It snorts threateningly, then goes back to nibbling on hay.

"Nice of you to drop by." A female voice says.

They turn to see the woman in the top hat and tail-coat. She lifts her cane at them. Something huge swoops down from the sky and lands just behind her, the griffon.

"Is that Pippy?" Charlie says suddenly.

Hattie seems to be rattled slightly by this, but quickly shakes it off. "You have a price on your heads."

Vinnie is about to go for his gun, but she sees him and lifts a hand. "Ah-ah-ah."

The cages are slowly swinging open, the animals stepping out. Charlie is suddenly aware of how large they all are. They stand in a circle around them, not moving. The unicorn shakes it's mane and paws the ground with one cloven hoof.

"Capture them. Alive." Hattie says.

The creatures approach, closing the circle. The group tightens, back to back.

Charlie feels something pushing on the back of her mind. Cautiously, she opens. She realizes she can hear Carbine and Throttle murmuring to eachother.

_Alright, on my signal, everybody break for it._ Throttles low voice. _Now! _

They scatter, Throttle whistles, the bikes are coming up. The manticore lands before them, turns and leaps toward Charlie who ducks to the side, drawing her gun, firing at it. The animal hisses and pulls back.

"Don't kill them!" Carbine is shouting. "They're all endangered!"

"You and your conservation!" Throttle shouts back angrily.

Modo pulls a rope from it's place on his bike, fashioning it into a lasso he catches the manticore around the neck and pulls it down. It strikes with it's tail but then that is tied, too, he flips it to it's side and binds it's legs, leaving it roaring angrily on the ground.

There is a high, keening call and Pippy swoops down out of the air at them, claws almost snapping around Modos shoulders, then she is flying up again, circling for another try. Her vast wings beat the air.

Throttle pulls back and grabs the net gun, as the griffon comes close to the ground he fires. The creature crashes to the ground with a thump, shrieking angrily.

Carbine steps back, confronted by the unicorn. It waves it's head threateningly, then charges her. She manages to dodge to the side, it spins and is about to charge again when a rope wraps around it's neck, followed by another one. The animal rears back, shakes it's head, the ropes break.

"Shit!" Throttle shouts. "How do you catch a unicorn!"

Charlies mind races, reaching through mythology. Something about virgins and singing, that won't do any of them any good. Then something else...what is it? Then it comes- a golden bridle. Dammit, they don't have that, either.

She can hear Hattie laughing. Then something her mother said floats into her mind. The safest place to be is on the horse.

One the horse, huh. She motions the mice away and when the unicorn charges she swings around, grabs a handful of mane and jumps. Just like when she was a kid riding the ponies out in the pasture. Except the unicorn isn't like a horse, more like riding a deer or goat. Like the ponies, though, it immediately starts bucking. Charlie holds on, waits until she is steady, then thinks back, remembering something she'd been told a long time ago...when the moment is right she slams all of her weight to one side and the animal topples, jumping off she pins it's head and sits on it. The unicorn struggles angrily.

"Way to go, Charlie!" Vinnie howls.

"Get out of here, Hattie." Throttle says. He's positioned himself with one foot on Pippys head, his firearm pointed at her heart.

Hattie tilts her head to the side, looks at them, then turns her face toward the sky. "Daylight's coming." She says.

"Whatever he's giving you, it's not worth it." Throttle says.

Hattie chuckles. "Oh, you have no idea. Alright, boys, wrap it up."

Men that have been somewhere in the shadows come out, start to gather up the animals and shoo them back into cages.

"You won't do it." Hattie says. "You're a good man."

Throttle shakes his head. "Not as good as I used to be."

Hattie smiles at him, then makes a motion with her arms. "Alright, as you wish. I'll leave." She bows deeply.

The words_ for now _hang in the air, unsaid.

….

Word gets around Hangdog fast. Within days, the strange woman has appeared again. She approaches their door, knocks, then stands looking at Pete.

"Well, hello there. Word is you have my griffon."

Pete nods, swallowing hard. He watches her talk to his father, then she goes back to the barn to fetch the animal. When she comes out, she is leading a large spotted mule.

"Who is she?" he asks his father.

The man shakes his head. "Just someone I know from a long time ago."


	13. Chapter 13

13

"Is it just me, or did that seem awfully easy?" Carbine asks.

They are sitting in the garage, Charlie working on the bikes while the mice watch.

"It's been that way." Throttle admits.

"Maybe we're just that awesome." Vinnie says.

"Maybe they're not really trying to catch you." Carbine says.

Throttle nods. "I think that may be the case."

"But why?" Charlie asks.

Throttle shakes his head. "I don't know."

…

Sofia stands on the balcony, drumming her fingers on the railing, looking in the direction of the garage. So, he's got that female with him, now. Well, we'll just see about that. Her eyes narrowed, she turns and goes back inside.

...

"Where's Carbine?" Throttle asks, walking into the garage.

"Dunno, I thought she was still with you." Charlie stands up.

"Nah, she gets up early." Throttle seems slightly worried. "I wonder where she went?"

…

Several hours later, when her mother knocks on the door and hands her a cage with Spike, who seems to have gotten considerably fatter, Carbine still hasn't shown up.

"What do we do? Go look for her?" Vinnie asks.

Throttle is pacing, irritated. "Something must have happened to her." Then finally "Ok, everybody spilt up, search the city."

Not much time has passed, Charlie is cruising down the street on her bike, when she sees a shadow on top of one of the buildings. She recognizes it and raises her hand to Carbine, then jumps and takes off as she is fired at.

What in the world is going on? Seconds later, Carbine is on her tail. Charlie runs frantically, dodging shots. She manages to lose her and heads straight back to the garage, locking the doors and hiding.

When she hears another motor she almost jumps out of her skin, but it turns out to be Throttle, Vinnie and Modo returning.

"Any luck?" Throttle asks.

"To much!" Charlie says emphatically. "She just tried to kill me!"

"Carbine?" Throttle says.

"You don't believe it, look at my jacket!" Charlie shows them the plasma burn.

"Wow, you weren't kidding." Throttle says.

"So, what do we do?"

"I dunno, but we have to catch her."

"How are we gonna do that?" Vinnie asks.

"Well, if she's got something out for Charlie..."

"Oh no, uh-un." Charlie shakes her head. "I'm not gonna be bait."

"Come on," Throttle says, stepping closer.

Charlie backs away, but she knows it's a losing battle. She's going to be a sitting duck.

"Wait!" She says. "What are you going to do when you catch her?"

"Good point." Throttle says. He looks at Charlie. "Can you build us a cell?"

"I can build you a cage." Charlie says. "Is that good enough?"

"Guess it'll have to be." Throttle says.

Charlie gets to work, glad to have the issue of her bait-worthyness on hold for the moment.

….

Sofia sits on her bed, brushing Carbines hair. The two mice are close together. Sofia finishes and wraps her arms around Carbine familiarly. Carbine closes her hands around the others, turning her head to look at her.

Sofia's smile widens a notch.

…

Charlie knows the guys are up around her, waiting, but she still feels nervous. What if they don't catch her in time? As if on cue, she hears Carbines bike roll up, then the mouse is standing at the edge of the crossroads, looking at her.

"You're wanted." She says loudly. "For crimes against Mars."

The mice drop down around her. She looks at them, eyes narrowing.

"And you're helping her!" She accuses them. "Do you have any idea what she's done?"

"Nothing. She hasn't done anything except help us." Throttle says, taking a step closer.

"She's got you fooled. She's got you all fooled!" She steps away from them.

At an unseen signal the mice all jump, grabbing her. She screams angrily, fighting back, but they overpower her and tie her up, dragging her back to the garage and the waiting cage.

Carbine growls like an animal, throwing herself against the sides of the cage. "You!" She screams. "It was you!"

"What did I do?" Charlie asks.

Throttle shakes his head. "That's not her talking."

After awhile she stops hurling insults at Charlie and tries another tactic.

"She's one of them." She says to Throttle. "She's been working with them the whole time."

"Charlie wasn't even alive when Mars fell." Throttle says.

"That's what you think." Carbine growls.

Throttle turns away.

As the night wears on, Carbine continues, sometimes pleading, sometimes snarling angrily. Finally, Throttle stands up.

"Where are you going?" Charlie asks.

"To see Sofia." Throttle says.

He pulls quietly up to the tower, searching his memory until it comes back, vague and foggy. He locates her window and silently creeps up the building, the sticky tires of his bike easily handling the incline. He finds her balcony, the sliding glass door is unlocked.

Sofia is sitting on her bed. "So, you came."

"Where's the antidote?" Throttle asks.

Sofia smiles. "I have it."

"Give it to me." Throttle says.

She smiles. "Sure. But...I think I need something in return?"

"What?" Throttle asks shortly.

She stands up, crossing the room to run a hand down his chest. "Oh, I think you know what."

Throttle closes his eyes, his body seeming to sag.

"Well, if you don't want it..." She steps away.

He reaches out, grabbing her around the waist. She grins. "That's better. Now, you have to do it right." The smile is still there, almost mocking.

For a very long moment it seems he will release her and leave, then he runs a hand up to her side, tilts her face up, and kisses her. Sofia slides her hands up his chest, over his shoulders, drawing him in.

Throttles expression softens as he lets her pull him toward the bed.

….

Charlie looks up when Throttle pulls back in later. "How'd it go?"

He tosses something to her, a syringe. "There."

"Where are you going?" Charlie asks.

"To take a shower." He says flatly.

Charlie watches after him. Her face darkens. She looks down at the syringe, then up toward the bathroom. This doesn't feel good.

Vinnie and Modo are asleep, and she doesn't want to risk handling Carbine on her own, so she sits and waits. What seems like a very long time later Throttle appears again. He looks tired.

"She just gave this to you?" Charlie asks.

Throttle shakes his head but doesn't say anything.

"What were you doing?" Charlie presses.

"Charlie, I'm not in the mood..."

"How did you get this from her?" Charlie says, her voice rising almost in panic.

"I slept with her, OK? Is that what you want to hear?" Throttle explodes so suddenly that she stumbles backward.

"Oh, Throttle..." She says, sounding half confused.

"Look, it's not like it's the first time it's happened." Throttle says, getting himself under control.

"Does Carbine know?" Charlie asks.

"I damn well hope she does. She used to be my wife." Throttle snaps.

"She..." Charlie pauses, then light dawns on her face. "She's Diesels mother!"

"Yeah." Throttle says, his voice becoming even again.

"What happened? To you, I mean." She asks.

"It turns out she was one of them." Throttle sounds tired again. "She was just using me. Just like she did tonight. She's just trying to get under my skin. Come on, lets get Carbine fixed up. The last thing I need is to listen to her all night."

…

"Charlie, I..." Carbine hesitates.

"It's fine." Charlie says.

"Limburger gassed you." Throttle says. "It's not your fault."

"But I knew. I knew she didn't do any of those things. But I thought..." She hesitates.

Throttle reaches out and pulls her into a hug. "Don't worry about it."

…..

"Well, that didn't seem to accomplish much." Limburger comments.

"Oh, you don't think so?" Sofia says, her mouth pulling into that smile again.

…

Throttle watches Carbine sleep, his face troubled. Finally he leaves their shed and is about to climb up on the roof when he notices a light on in the garage and decides to go in.

Charlie is down on the floor as usual, repairing somebody elses bike. She looks up when he comes in. He tugs a chair over with his foot and sits down on it backwards, resting his arms on the top of the back.

"I suppose, if she's going to be doing stuff like this, you need to know about her." Throttle says. "About us."

Charlie puts down her tool and turns to look at him. "Sofia?"

"Yeah. See, she was with me during the war, feeding information to the Plutarkians. She took off when they all left." He pauses. "I didn't see her for a long time, then. Not until after we'd met you. When we went home the first time. See, I'd run into these really nasty slavers, they got me and took me off the planet..."

….

Sofia walks along the slave stalls in the black market station, not really looking, until something catches her eye. A spot of brown. She pauses at a stall run by a hyena.

"Ah, good evening, miss." He growls. "Fine lady like yourself deserves a servant."

He motions toward the line of trained slaves that stand against the wall, looking carefully at nothing.

"How about that one?" She motions toward a thin male brown mouse who is sitting against the wall.

"Arr, you have a good eye. But he's got quite an attitude, are you sure you can control him?" He asks.

"Of course." Sofia smiles.

Money passes hands, then the mouse is pulled out. He stumbles in the grip of his handlers.

"What's wrong with his eyes?" Sofia asks.

"Ah, yes, useful to have." The hyena pulls something out of a drawer behind the desk and offers it out to her, a pair of shades.

Sofia takes them.

"Yes, just put these on him when you want him to work." the hyena says.

Sofia turns to the handlers. "Take him back to my ship." She says, and gives them the dock number.

A few minutes later she joins them just outside the small ship. They unhook the shackles around his wrists and hand her the rope around his neck.

When they are gone, Sofia immediately changes, her face becoming concerned.

"Throttle? Are you OK?" She tilts his head to look.

"Sofia." He says flatly.

She smiles. "Indeed. Looks like I just saved your tail. Now, how are you going to repay me...Oh, I know. You can work. For me."

Throttle extends his hand, and she hands him the shades. "What if I say no?"

"You won't. You owe me. I'll take you home...when you've paid me back for your hide."

Throttle frowns, but he doesn't have another choice. She's right, he does owe her now, and besides, where is he supposed to go without a ship?

….

Throttle pauses in his retelling, thinking for several moments before he goes on. "Well, I was with her for a long time. Couple years. Then one day we came back by Mars..."

…

The base is under attack by hyenas. The mice are holed up inside, their equipment no match for the armored walkers.

Sofia brings the ship down low, firing at them as they passe. Two of them explode. The others turns and start to shoot, but their weapons don't have the range to take out airborne targets. Sofia swings around and brings the ship down as they scatter.

"Think this is your stop. Looks like they need you." Sofia says.

Throttle doesn't question her, just disembarks and watches as the ship lifts back into the air and flies away.

The doors slowly open, and Carbine appears. When she sees him she breaks into a run.

"What happened to you?" She asks. "What was that ship?"

"It's a long story." Throttle says.

As he decides exactly what to tell her they go back into the base.

…

"So she just let you go?" Charlie asks.

Throttle nods.

"Why?"

He shrugs. "Who knows. Who knows why she does anything?"

They fall silent for several long moments. The night spins out between them, slowly getting deeper and deeper.


	14. Chapter 14

14

"Are you going to tell her?" Charlie asks.

Throttle hesitates.

"If you don't, I will." Charlie says defiantly.

"Tell who what?" Carbine asks from the doorway.

The two look at eachother, Charlie narrows her eyes when Throttle balks. "Sofia-"She starts, but Throttle makes a noise that stops her.

Carbine looks from one to the other, then her face narrows. "Oh hell no!"

"Carbine! Wait!" But she is heading for the door, her lean military bike growling as it hits the open street.

Throttle grabs his helmet and jumps on his bike just as Vinnie and Modo come in. "Where are we going?"

"Carbine is after Sofia." Throttle says, starting the engine.

…

"You bitch!" Carbine shouts, spearing a finger at Sofia.

The other mouse turns, her head to the side. A slow smile creeps over her face. She faces Carbine, lounging in the lobby, smoking a cigarette.

"Leave him alone!" Carbine threatens.

"Worried?" Sofia asks, her voice mocking. "What are you gonna do about it?"

"I'm gonna kick your sorry ass!" Carbine snarls.

The front door explodes open and Charlie and the mice roll in.

"Hey, baby." Sofia says.

This pushes Carbine over the edge, with a growl she launches herself at Sofia, who dodges. Carbine comes around, almost gets a kick in to her kidneys but the other mouse is to fast. Sofia doesn't fight so much as dance, seeming to see Carbines moves three steps ahead and easily avoid them.

"Stand still, dammit!" Carbine growls.

"Carbine, stop!" Throttle shouts.

Sofia sees him and her face rips into a wicked grin. She turns, focusing on Carbine, then extends a hand.

"No!" Throttle shouts.

Carbine collapses, her entire body spasming in pain, hands clenched around her head. Sofia's eyes narrow, the smile growing wider as Carbine moans.

"Let her go!" Throttle shouts.

Sofia's grin hitches up a notch, and Carbine screams.

"Stop!" Throttle shouts, his voice desperate. "What do you want, huh? You want me? Well take me!" He spreads his arms.

"Throttle, no!" Charlie gasps.

Throttle pulls his glasses off, looking Sofia in the eye. "I will stay by your side." He says, the granite seriousness in his voice seeming to chill the room.

Slowly, Sofia pulls back her hand. Carbine goes limp, moaning weakly, her hands still at her head. She pushes herself up to her elbows, looking between the mice. Understanding dawns and her face undergoes a rapid succession of emotions, ending in something that is tired and sad, the echo of pain draining away her anger.

With a heavy heart, Throttle walks across the room to stand by Sofia. She gives Carbine a meaningful look, then leans up to kiss him. Throttle hesitates for a second, then returns the gesture.

Carbine looks utterly defeated. Charlie walks up and takes her arm, looking darkly at Throttle. "Come on, let's go."

…

"Did you know she could do that? I didn't know she could do that." Vinnie says.

Modo shakes his head, his expression heavy.

Carbine is sitting with her head down on her arms, and hasn't moved in half an hour. Charlie is starting to get worried about her when she lifts her head, her expression furious.

"Stupid bitch." She snarls

Charlie nods, feeling strange comfort in the anger she sees boiling just beneath the surface. This Carbine she is familiar with. This Carbine is a leader, and she is going to see to it that things are fixed.

"Ok, we can't just break in there and take him. We have to make Sofia not want him anymore. Somehow." She is pacing. "But how?"

…

"That wasn't necessary." Throttle says.

"No, but it was fun." Sofia grins.

Throttle takes a step back away from her. "Why are you doing this?"

"Why do I do anything?" Sofia counters.

Throttle sits down on the bed. "Ok, you have me. You know I'm not gonna hurt my bros. What exactly are you expecting to happen now?"

"Oh, come on. It'll be just like old times." She smiles at him, though this time there is something softer there.

"Yeah, I seem to remember you had me prisoner then, too." Throttle says.

"You know you like it." She says, the smile becoming sly again.

Throttle starts to protest, but then stops, knowing there's no point. It's true, his time with her had changed him. It was...easy. So, so easy. He takes off his glasses and presses his fingers against his eyes.

Sofia leans over, puts her hands on his shoulders. Very near to his ear, she whispers "I have something to tell you."

As he listens, his face slowly changes. When she is through, he nods his head solemnly.

…

Throttle stops at the door to the base, his ears down. Stoker looks up.

"What's wrong?"

"Sofia and Diesel. They're..." He hesitates, then says "gone."

"Oh, no." The older mouse steps forward to embrace him.

Throttle moves away after a moment. "I'm fine."

Stoker tilts his head, unsure.

"My dear," Limburger says, "We appear to have gotten off on the wrong foot, as it were."

Isodora "call me Zee" Frumplenorf stands in his office with her hands in her pockets, Molly sitting by her side.

"I think perhaps we could come to some agreement that would be mutually beneficial." Limburger goes on.

"I'm listnin'." Frumplenorf says.

….

Charlie opens the garage door and freezes.

"Uh, guys?" She says.

Carbine looks up and frowns. Through the door, instead of the familiar street, they are looking down into a dark forest. The trees are tall and twisted, the sky above them a deep and troubled gray. Darkness closes in almost immediately, lit by strange glowing things that dart around and then vanish into the shadows. Thick leaves cover the forest floor, and there is a deep, rich smell, a scent of damp rotting things that is somehow clean. A wolf howls in the distance.

"What's this?" Carbine asks.

"Looks like Limburger has another friend." Modo says.

Charlie nods.

"Hm." Carbine takes a cautious step outside, realizes she can't see past the trees, and quickly uses one to scale to the roof. Standing up there she can see a dark tower rising in the middle distance.

"Looks like we need to head that way." She points.

Toward Limburger tower. Of course. When the bikes rumble out a murder of crows lifts from the trees, cawing. They make Charlie very nervous.

As they ride slowly down the path, things skitter in the underbrush. Strange birds call from the trees. Once in a while something larger moves, something that comes close and then wheels away before they can see it.

…

Throttle stands beside Sofia on a balcony in the tower, looking out over the dark kingdom. The last time he stood here, his mind had been fogged. Now it's clear and crisp. He can feel Sofia vibrating beside him.

Frumplenorf steps out behind them. She isn't wearing her human form now, in control of this magic she has the form of the faye, smaller and thin, her pointed face and long mouth giving her an animal appearance. Molly stays faithfully at her side, looking as she always does.

"They're heading this way." Frumplenorf says.

"Good." Sofia smiles. "Let's make sure it's not to easy, shall we?"

Frumplenorf grins and flicks her fingers.

…

The mice stop as a wall of thorns blocks their way. Carbine waves them to shoot, and they soon open a path, but as they try to pull through the vines extend, catching the bikes and holding them still. The machines struggle but are overpowered.

"We'll have to leave them." Carbine decides.

They start to pick their way through the thick brambles, following a narrow game path that leads them to a clearing where they stop. Something is moving up in the branches.

A gigantic spider drops down, waving it's venom tipped mandibles threateningly. It rears up and starts for them, Modo shoots and it falls. Immediately two more drop down beside it.

The mice and Charlie draw together, back to back, as the things circle around them.

….

"Oh, look." Roxanne says. "A message from Sofia."

"Really? What does she want?"

Roxanne reads it, then chuckles. "You're gonna love this."

Adam leans over to view the message, then smiles slowly. "Hmmm, that is interesting."

…

Vinnie jams a flare in one of the spiders eyes and it shrinks back, hissing angrily. Modo shoots the other one, it takes three hits but it finally goes down. The half-blind spider comes around again, and Carbine shoots it twice in the head, dropping the creature. There are more sounds from the branches.

"Come on!" Carbine motions to them and they all run, leaving the sound of dropping bodies behind, moving blindly away until at last they splash across a shallow stream and stop, panting.

…

"They got past the spiders." Frumplenorf says.

"Of course they did." Sofia smiles. "Maybe you should throw something harder at them next time."

"What, a dragon?" Frumplenorf asks.

"Dragons are overdone." Sofia says. "Give me something with more imagination."

Frumplenorf thinks for a second, then grins. "I have just the thing."

…

Kode frowns and looks at the readings. Now that's not right. He steps through the portal into Bessie and walks through the ship, stepping out onto the alien planet. He tilts his head, looking up at the dark sky and trees. Definitely not right.

The garage is empty, save for the small creature in it's cage. The fluffy animal stands on it's hind legs and looks at him. He finds a bag full of pellets with a picture of the creature on it and dumps some into the food dish .It immediately fills it's cheeks, then runs and hides.

Strange. Kode looks around one last time, then grabs the cage and food and takes it back to the ship. Better safe than sorry.

….

Deep under the dark tower, Lilly stirs again. Her tail twitches gently.

She can see his shadow and she reaches for him, he comes to her and they are together, glittering in the darkness.

"Help me." She whispers into his neck.

He tightens his arms around her, running his hands over her bare body.

She moves, tensing slightly in the tank, then relaxes again.

….

There is another clearing ahead, and they slow down. A circle of wagons. Charlie swallows hard, remembering the last time she'd seen them.

"That's Hattie."She says.

Carbine nods. "What's she doing here?"

"Maybe this is where she's from." Charlie speculates. "It certainly looks right."

They approach cautiously, but find the camp abandoned, save for one covered cage. Charlie and Carbine walk up and carefully pull the sheet off.

A unicorn stands there, glowing like the moon on snow. Not the one they'd seen before, this one is thinner, more delicate, standing hunched in he back of the cage as if terrified.

"Help me." A thin, silvery voice. "Help me, I'll die in here!"

"Get her out!" Charlie says immediately.

Carbine is staring, transfixed. She's seen many a unicorn, but they are foul beasts. This is something different. Something magic. She walks forward and slowly extends her hand. The unicorn leans out and presses her velvety nose against her palm.

"Uh, ladies?" Vinnie calls.

"Hang on." Charlie is looking at the lock, a big metal thing she can't break. "One of you come over here and open this."

Modo walks over and shoots the lock off, after looking to Carbine for confirmation.

When the lock is undone, the cage seems to fall away. The unicorn rears on her hind legs, pawing the tumbling bars that crumble at her touch like old cheese.

"_Come, we haven't much time!_ " The unicorn begins to trot away, she turns to look at them impatiently. _"_Well, are you coming?_" _

"Charlie-girl? Carbine? Where are you going?" Vinnie asks.

"We've got to help the unicorn." The girls say together.

"What? But what about..." Modo falls silent, looks at Vinnie, and they hurry to catch up.

…

"There, that should distract them for awhile." Frumplenorf says with a grin.

Throttle is watching his friends progress in the large cauldron Frumplenorf had dramatically placed on the balcony. He's sure it's not necessary, but she loves the trappings of magic.

"How long will it take them?" Sofia asks.

"Who knows. Days, weeks maybe..." Frumplenorf chuckles.

...

"So, where are we going?" Charlie asks.

"I must find the Great Wizard." The unicorn says. "Only he knows where the rest of my kind are."

"I thought it was King Hag-"Charlie starts.

"The great wizard." The unicorn interrupts her.

"Is there going to be a bull on this journey?" Charlie asks.

"I don't have the slightest idea what you're talking about."

After awhile, the trees open and they are standing on a wide field. At the far end, on top of a hill, a castle glitters.

"Looks easy." Vinnie comments.

"Don't be so sure. The way is fraught with peril." The unicorn says.

They step out into the light.

….

Sofia walks up behind Throttle and puts her arms around his waist, pressing her face into his back. He rests his hands on her arms, tightens them to squeeze briefly.

...

There is a shadow overhead. Something deep and primal activates in the mice, and they all freeze, hunching down. Charlie instinctively stands straight and looks up, a hand raised over her eyes. A gigantic bird sweeps through the sky.

"What is that?" Carbine asks, forcing herself to stand up.

"It's...I think it's a Roc." Charlie says.

"A what?"

"Big bird." Charlie says. "Really, really big bird."

As if to confirm this, the bird drops out of the sky, swooping at them. They all bolt, the unicorn bounding ahead. The roc sweeps down again, talons grasping, almost catching the unicorn.

"Get to those trees!" Carbine screams, pausing to fire at the gigantic bird.

It adjusts it's trajectory and heads down toward her, Carbine throws herself on the ground, barely avoiding being lifted up, the claws so close they come up with strands of her hair.

They reach the trees just as the bird is coming in for another try, it shrieks angrily and pulls up, winging around in a broad circle. The group pauses, breathing hard, listening to it's frustrated calls.

"Well, we're safe for now." Carbine says. "But we can't hide here forever."

….

Throttle turns to look at Frumplenorf. She looks back at him, then rolls her eyes, sighs, and wiggles her nose. The cauldron flashes slightly.

…

There is a sound from the sky, a sound that is beautiful and terrible at once, as if in inferno had been condensed into birdsong. Something is lifting into the air, a bird that burns as bright as the sun. It spreads it's wings, it's body coming apart, shredding into flame.

The roc flies away in a panic. Flaming feathers start to fall, and then the stand of trees is burning. They run out into the field, the fire chasing them. Smoke billows into the air as they dry grass goes up.

Reaching a group of boulders, they begin to climb, the unicorn leaping up like a goat. They find a cave and duck in as the fire rages past. It is gone as quickly as it came, leaving the field a smoking, blackened ruin. `

As the fire reaches the trees, the gray sky opens and torrential rain begins to fall.

"Well, guess we're staying here for now." Carbine says, dropping to the ground and leaning against the wall.

….

Throttle listens to the storm rage, the blowing rain quenching the fire. Sofia come to stand with him by the window, looking out into the night.


	15. Chapter 15

15

"Hey, check it out, there's a tunnel." Vinnie says, striking a flare.

"Be careful." Carbine warns.

Vinnie salutes her. "Yes ma'am."

She arches an eyebrow at him. Outside, the rain still pours.

"It goes way back." Vinnie says when he returns a few minutes later. "Looks like it goes somewhere."

"Well, let's find out." Carbine decides, standing and motioning to the others.

The unicorn seems to generate a weak light as they walk, casting the tunnel in shades of the quarter moon. Vinnie doesn't strike another flare, and they move along in the eerie light. The rough rock walls become smooth, then there are wooden supports at intervals.

"Looks like a mine." Carbine comments.

Modo pauses, turning his head. He thought he heard something behind them, but it's gone now. He hurries to catch up with his friends, feeling a sudden chill. This place reminds him of old stories from when he was a kid, stories about vengeful spirits that live deep under the rock.

They have been walking for fifteen minutes when he hears something again, turns, and fires. There is a sound, not a yelp of pain but of surprise. A creature scuttles out of the shadows, a small humanesque form with burly thick arms and a lumpy head. It's skin is rock colored. In one hand it holds a large hammer.

"What is that?" Carbine asks.

"Well, since we're in fairy-tale world, and this is a mine, I'd say a dwarf." Charlie says.

"Is it dangerous?"

"Probably."

The dwarf turns over it's shoulder and shouts in a strange guttural language. There are more shuffling sounds, then other dwarfs are closing in. The unicorn rears, slashing with her horn. She seems to be growing brighter and brighter. The creatures shrink back, shielding their eyes.

"Run!" The unicorn says, and the mice and Charlie bolt up the open passage, the unicorn glowing at their heels.

They can see something up ahead, a light, and then they are running out into the ruins of a castle, the sun streaming down from a clear sky. The opening has heavy doors, and after the unicorn has cantered through they slam and lock them shut.

They are up on a green hill overlooking the forest, the huge dark tower looming perhaps ten miles away. The castle is tumbling down, huge stones piled where towers once stood. They are in the courtyard, the center of which is dominated by the remains of a large wooden pole mounted upright in the ground.

The unicorn snorts, tosses her mane. "Something bad is in this place. We should leave."

"Leave, but you just arrived." A voice like a volcano.

The dragon slides down from his mount on the wall, moving with a reptilian grace, his long wings folded at his sides. His great red head settles near to them, yellow eyes bright. The unicorn rears, stumbles backward, then stands her ground.

"Brave little thing." The dragon purrs. "But it won't do you any good."

"This is fairy-tale world, right?" Charlie says suddenly. The dragon turns to look at her. "In every fairy tale, there's a way out. So what is it here? Some sort of deal?" She pauses, then says "A quest, right? That's what we're doing this time around."

The dragon tilts it's head to the side, seeming to think this over, then he speaks again. "Well, I suppose I don't have to eat you right now. Perhaps I can use you. But if you fail, I'll eat you."

"We don't have time for this." Carbine says flatly.

"Well then, eat you it is." The dragon says.

"Wait. What is it you want us to do?" Charlie asks.

"I am a prisoner here." The dragon says. "My heart is locked in a box deep under the castle, in the center of labyrinth. If you can bring me my heart, I will let you go."

Charlie looks at the mice. Carbine winces. It is a noble quest, after all. And how long can it take to make it through a maze under a castle?

"Alright." Carbine says. "We'll do it."

The dragon moves a large rock away from a stairway set in the floor and they go down, the unicorn once again glowing faintly in the shadow.

Eerie blue-green light filters up. It's a maze alright, a maze of the dark fungal tubes. They all pause, then step down into the tunnel.

…

Night falls. Throttle watches his friends pick their way through the maze, doubling back again and again. The phosphorescent fungus seems to bloom in the presence of the unicorn, making it easy for them to trace their steps.

"They're making good time." Sofia comments.

Throttle turns to look at her, looks like he's about to say something, then closes his mouth.

"You should come to bed." She says. "They'll be fine."

He reluctantly leaves, considering it a polite order. When he comes into the bedroom Sofia is undressing. He starts to turn away, but then finds himself captivated. She really is beautiful, and soft, and, he adds, completely evil.

Or is she? Is she really as evil as everybody thinks she is? Is she doing this because it's the right thing to do, or because she's getting paid? Or for revenge?

She seems to hear his thoughts and turns. "See something you like?"

"Not for a long time." He says.

"Oh, come on. You certainly didn't seem to mind the other night."

Throttle wants to shout at her to shut up, but knows that's sign of weakness. She's just trying to get under his skin. He bites his tongue.

"Sit down." She pats the bed.

He obeys. She sits down behind him and runs her hands over his shoulders.

"You're tense." She says.

"It's your fault." He says.

She presses her body against him. "Don't." He leans away.

She slides close again, tilts her head and peers at him. "You're so noble."

"You're so crazy."

She chuckles. When she leans in again, he doesn't move away. She wraps her arms around him, resting her head on his shoulder.

Throttle closes his eyes and lowers his head, looking suddenly very tired. "Whose side are you really on?"

"The same side I'm always on." Sofia smiles. "Mine."

Throttle doesn't answer, looking away.

Sofia pauses, reaches out and lifts his chin, takes off his glasses so she can look into his eyes. In the spectral half-sight he sees that thing that still draws him to her, that light somewhere deep inside. That thing he keeps thinking he can release if only he can touch her in the right place.

He runs his hands slowly up her thighs, the fabric of her skirt sliding through his fingers. She leans in and kisses him, and he lets her push him back into the bed, reaching for the light even though he knows he'll never be able to catch it.

…

"There it is." A temple at the center of the maze.

The mice and Charlie stop, sighing with relief. It's impossible to tell time down here, but they've probably been walking all night. Vinnie bolts up to the center and is about to grab the box when Carbine shouts a warning.

A huge creature is coming out of the maze just behind the box, it's gigantic mouth full of gnashing teeth. Vinnie, clutching the box, jumps backward and tosses a bomb at the thing, which shakes it off and keeps coming.

Modo shoots at it's face as they back away, until there is nowhere left to go. The unicorn rears, then is charging forward, slashing with her horn. The creature backs off, hissing, snaps at her. She comes at it again, using her horn like a sword, and the thing backs away and retreats.

"Come on." Carbine motions and they are heading back the way they came.

The sun is coming up when they reach the doorway again, and step out into the ruins where the dragon is napping. He wakes up when they approach.

"Here." Carbine offers him the box.

The dragon takes it, his eyes glowing. He opens the box, then pulls open a flap in his chest and inserts it. Immediately he is glowing like an ember. He lifts into the air, his leathery wings flapping, then lands again.

"For your effort, I will repay you-" He says, then drops down with his shoulder on the ground. "Where is it you wish to go?"

"We seek the great wizard." Charlie says, feeling it appropriate to speak formally.

"Then to him you shall go." The dragon says.

The unicorn protests slightly at the idea of being carried in the talons of a dragon, but faced with the option of walking eventually agrees and they take to the air.

…

"I thought we said no dragons." Sofia says over her coffee.

"It's not mine." Frumplenorf protests.

"Who's is it, then?"

"One of Hatties, maybe?" Frumplenorf says.

"Well how did it get here?"

"Beats me."

…

The dragon drops out of the sky at the dark castle, releasing the unicorn first then kneeling to let it's passengers off. The dragon takes to the air again, winging away into the bright sky.

"Ok, we've gotten you here. Now can we go?" Carbine asks.

The unicorn makes a horse shrug, then turns and starts into the castle.

"Do we go with her?" Vinnie asks.

"No." Carbine says. "We got her here. That's enough. I'm sure there's some hero in there. That's the way these stories always work."

"I thought we were the heroes?" Modo says.

Carbine winces.

"She's right." Charlie says. "We've wasted to much time already."

"Well, the tower is that way." Carbine points.

They start down the hill, toward the tower, now much closer, but between them lies a dense jungle. As they approach, they see that the trees don't have leaves, but instead long tentacles that twitch when they get near. A clear path runs down the center, and they take this, avoiding the plants as much as possible.

The path is clear, but extremely winding, seeming to come back on itself over and over again, so that the walk stretches on and on, and they are only halfway there by the time night is falling.

"Travelers Stay Here" Reads the sign on the small house.

"Think it's a trap?" Vinnie asks.

"Dunno. Maybe." Carbine cautiously pushes the door open.

An old woman is stirring a pot on the fire. She turns as they come in.

"Oh, my dears. You must be hungry. Please, eat." She begins to fill bowls.

It seems to rude to refuse, and so they accept and sit at the table. She beams at them.

Seconds later, they collapse.

…

Up on the tower, Frumplenorf chuckles to herself. They'd fallen right in. Now lets see how long it takes them to get back out.


	16. Chapter 16

16

"That is possibly the stupidest thing I've ever seen them do." Throttle grumbles later, watching a replay of the night before.

"They didn't have a choice." Frumplenorf says. "The second they set foot in that house, they were doomed. Magic, you know."

"Uh-huh." Throttle says. "So, what happened to them?"

"They're...out." Frumplenorf says.

"And when will they come back?" Throttle asks.

Frumplenorf chuckles. "That's the beauty of it. They have until the stroke of midnight tonight to complete the tales, or they'll be trapped there...forever."

Throttle flicks his ears back, his expression troubled.

...

"Wake up, wake up your highness." The manservant shakes Vinnie again. "The ball is tonight, you simply must get up and have the tailors finish your suit."

Vinnie gets up, stretching slowly, looking around his familiar room in the castle. He's been having a dream, something about traveling through he dark forest that boarders their kingdom. He shakes it away and allows the servant to dress him.

The throne room is being decorated, scores of servants scuttling around hanging lights and bright baubles and polishing the floor and walls until they shine. The activity hustles around him as the prince steps down onto the floor.

"Really, father." Vinnie says as he sees the king, supervising as always.

"Ah, Vincent." The king hurries up to him. "Are you looking forward to tonight?"

"To dancing with every girl in the kingdom?" Vinnie asks, his bored voice clearly giving his opinion.

"Well, you are of that age, and you don't seem inclined to choose for yourself. Surely tonight you'll find someone you are interested in."

...

Charlie has been up for hours, feeding animals and making breakfast. She carefully arranges a tray and starts up the stairs to her stepmothers room. Mice scuttle around the edge of the carpet, watching her.

"Yes." Sofia says as there is a knock on her door.

"Your breakfast, mother." Charlie says, bringing the tray in.

"Excellent. Put it down here." She pats the bed.

"I've finished with my chores already." Charlie says. "I was wondering if I could go to the ball tonight?"

"Well, we do have a few extra things, the winter drapes need to come out and be cleaned, and then the floor will have to be washed again, and of course polishing the woodwork...but after that, and if you can find a dress..."

Charlie nods, feeling her spirits rise. She'd spent all night working on a dress, it's halfway done but she's sure that she can finish in time if she hurries.

A small brown mouse with a cowlick watches from a hidden hole. He makes a noise to himself, then scurries off to find the other mouse scattered about the house. They speak in squeaks, then they are streaming up the tunnels inside the walls, into Charlies room where they look at the pattern laid out and begin to work.

…

The king smiles as he watches his daughters birthday celebration. Still, he can't help but feel a pang of dread. This is the birthday the evil fairy Sofia had promised to put princess Carbine into a deep sleep forever. Still, with all needles banned, that will be unlikely. He tries to relax.

….

"Those are my pearls!" Roxanne shouts, ripping them off of Charlies neck.

"And my sash!" Hattie tears it free with a scream of fabric.

"Oh, my. It looks like you don't have a dress, after all." Sofia says with a smile. "I suppose you can't go. Pity."

Charlie, overcome by the unfairness of this, runs out to the garden where she sits, crying. Crickets chirrup around her. As she sits, a handful of mice creeps out and stands, looking at her.

A light coalesces out of the air, and forms into something like a person. A short, thin fairy with long dredlocked hair pulled back under a scrap of cloth.

"Don't cry, little girl" The fairy says.

"Who are you?" Charlie asks.

"Your fairy godmother." Frumplenorf says.

"You don't look like a fairy godmother." Charlie says.

"What, you were expecting Glenda the Good Witch? Come on, kid, hop to it. We've got a deadline here. Now, how does it go...mice for horses, pumpkin for a carriage...

... 

.

"Old woman, what is that?" Carbine asks, fascinated by the silver dancing in and out of the cloth.

"Why, my dear, 'tis but sewing. Surely you have seen a needle and thread before." The old woman offers out the cloth.

"No." Carbine says.

"Well, try it, my dear. It's easy. Just like this." The needle leaps like a fish.

Carbine takes it, trying to imitate the motion, then suddenly jerks back as her finger is pricked.

The old woman begins to laugh.

...

Vinnie groans as two more woman are introduced. He's been dancing for hours already and is exhausted, considering slipping away. Then the doors open and a woman steps through, glowing like the moon.

Glowing like the moon- something in him twitches. Where has he seen that color recently?

"I introduce to you, Charlene." The man says, sweeping her forward with a motion of his arm.

Vinnie steps down, captivated by her. She seems to hesitate before taking his hand. The kind motions frantically to the band to start playing

….

The whole castle falls, frozen in time. Servants freeze in their tracks, dancers float in mid-stride. Within seconds the forest has closed in around, reclaiming it.

…

"Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?" Sofia asks.

"Lilly, my queen." The mirror responds.

Sofia growls in anger. "Bring me my hunter!"

…

Lilly sits on the floor, playing with her dolls. The hunter steps in. "Hello, Princess. Shall we go for a ride?"

He takes her out into the woods, where he pushes at her back. "You must flee, princess, and never come back. Your stepmother wishes you dead!"

Lilly runs, terrified. After stumbling through the wood she makes it to a small, neat house. Inside, she finds seven little beds. Exhausted, she falls onto one and falls asleep.

...

"Lilly? Wait a second!" Throttle shouts. "You're missing a prince! How is Carbine gonna get out?"

"How indeed." Frumplenorf says.

"Is there some way for me to get in there?" Throttle asks desperately.

"That never occurred to me." Frumplenorf pulls something out of her jacket with a grin. "Here, drink this."

…

The deer bounds into the brush. Prince Throttle pulls his horse up, looking after the bobbing tail.

"What's in there?" He asks.

His servant hesitates. "Well, master, according to legend, there is a castle deep in the forest where a princess slumbers, waiting to be awoken by a magic kiss."

"Really. Lets go see." Throttle dismounts and starts into the brush.

"Sir..." His servant says.

"Well, stay here then. I'll just be a few minutes." The branches close in around him.

…

Lilly wakes to find herself surrounded by small people, dwarfs. They are circled around the bed, murmuring to eachother.

Bursting into frightened tears, she tells them her story. They nod sympathetically and agree to let her stay with them. Deciding they need to gather food, they go back into the woods, leaving her to prep a pot for dinner.

There is a knock on the door and she opens it to find an old woman in a long cloak, a hood pulled over her face.

"Apples, my dear? Very sweet. Here, taste one."

Lilly bites into the apple, then falls to the floor. Sofia laughs darkly.

….

Throttle fights his way through the brush and finds the castle wall. Making his way around the exterior, he finds the drawbridge open and walks across the crumbling wood and into the castle.

It is eerie here, servants and guests frozen as if in suspended animation, standing posed as if going about their activities. A thick layer of dust sits on everything.

Throttle walks slowly up the stairs.

….

Modo pulls his horse up, stopping at the strange sight before him. Dwarfs are gathered around a crystal clear coffin containing a girl who seems to be dead.

Modo dismounts and approaches slowly. The mouse seems strange, familiar. He pauses, looking down at her.

Something in the back of his mind trembles, threatens to break. He pulls the lid off of the coffin and leans down, looking at her closely. He recognizes this mouse.

"Lilly." He says very quietly.

He reaches into the coffin, lifting her body up. She's warm. He leans down, kissing her. Lilly moves, reaches up, her arms wrapping around his shoulders as she draws him in.

The forest shudders, starting to fall away, and he grasps at her. Her dress is falling away, leaving her nude before him. She reaches out, touching him, her face soft.

"Help me." She murmurs.

"I want to." Modo says, tightening his arms around her, bare body pressing against his.

….

Under the tower, Lilly twitches again. The light flickers.

…

Throttle finds the princess frozen in a bed, flowers arranged around her body. He leans down to look at her. She looks familiar. A pale grayish mouse with long dark hair. Her hands are folded across her belly, her face serene.

The world seems to shudder slightly, rippling around him.

Throttle reaches out to touch Carbine gently, running his hands over her body. He winces, wondering if this is the last time it's going to happen. No, he shakes his head.

Throttle tilts her head up, and kisses her. He feels her suck in a breath, then she moves. When he starts to pull away she grabs him around the neck, drawing him back down.

The castle is cracking around them, but Carbine won't let him go. He slides his hand down along the dress she's wearing, to her thigh, lifting it up. Carbine moves on the bed, tugging him around on top of her.

"I think we have a few minutes." She murmurs.

Then the world could have caved in, and they wouldn't have noticed.

…

Charlie realizes what time it is and starts to pull away, terrified that he'll see her in her tattered dress.

"Wait!" Vincent calls. "I feel...I feel like I know you."

Charlie stops and turns.

"Like we knew eachother in some other life." Vincent says, approaching.

Charlie hesitates, starts to take another step down the stairs. "I really have to go."

"No!" Vincent says, jolting forward and grabbing her wrist. "I can't let you go."

"I have to-" She starts.

Vinnie struggles, knowing only that he can't let her go. He can see things falling away from her, the dress tumbling into tatters, but he grabs her around the waist and pulls her in.

As the clock strikes midnight, he tilts her head to kiss her, and the world seems to ripple and slide away around them.

…

There is a sudden tremble, as though the fabric of the world is being violently shaken. Modo grabs at Lilly, but she is being pulled away.

"No!" He grasps at her desperately, but then she is gone.

He sits up with a gasp, hearing his friends start around him, they are all standing up, looking around, dazed. The old woman is nowhere to be seen.

"Lets get out of here." Carbine says, motioning them toward the door.

…

Throttle jerks awake to find Frumplenorf chuckling and looking into the cauldron. "Not bad. Not bad at all."

…

"Lilly. I saw her." Modo murmurs.

"Lilly?" Charlie asks.

"My...she used to be my wife." Modo says.

Charlie is half stunned and stumbles, catching herself at the last moment. She tries to think of something to say.

Modo seems troubled, so she doesn't push him. Neither Carbine nor Vinnie respond with any surprise to this news.

…..

"Where is she?" Throttle asks.

"Who?"

"Lilly."

"Somewhere safe." Sofia says. "We'll let her go, when it's appropriate."

"What are you planning?" Throttle growls.

"You'll see." She smiles.


	17. Chapter 17

17

"They're getting awfully close, my dear." Limburger says.

"Hang on, I'm thinkin." Frumplenorf drums her thin fingers together.

…

Kode sits, his eyes blank and unfocused, his three pronged tail jacked into the central core of the ship. For the past several days he has barely moved, programming. Now he releases it, letting the change shudder through the ship. It extends a long tendril, attaches it to the tower, then another feeling for the crew. It finds them, locks in.

…

Charlie, Vinnie, Modo and Carbine all stop when a door materializes in front of them. "Exit to tower" reads a sign tacked to it's front.

"You think it's a trap?" Carbine asks.

"That's taxco growing around it." Charlie observes. "Maybe it's Kode?"

"So, do we go through?" Vinnie asks.

Carbine frowns, looking at them. "I think it's your call here. If you think it's from your ship, then let's do it."

Charlie steps forward and pulls the door open, looks through.

"It's the lobby in Limburger Tower." She reports.

"Good." Carbine says. "Lets get this over with."

…

Frumplenorf feels the tremble and grins widely. Throttle looks over at her.

"Your friend just stepped in." She says. "Looks like you have a good engineer."

Throttle feels hesitant relief. "Where are they now?"

"Here. In the lobby." The grin seems to widen again. "We should go greet them."

….

They freeze when they see the thing that is Zee coming into the lobby. She looks like herself, but different, even though she is the same size she is smaller, thinner, her face more pointed. She looks old as well, ancient and withered, but still powerful. Molly is by her side.

"Why are you doing this?" Charlie asks.

Zee chuckles, then motions to Molly "Take care of them, would you?"

The black thing comes up so fast they can't react, and in a second it has swallowed them.

…

"Are they actually gone?" Limburger asks.

Throttle feels sick.

"Sure." Frumplenorf shrugs.

"My dear, I must commend you."

….

There is a horrible rushing blackness, then suddenly everything is bright light and birdsong. They stand, stunned. The sun shines yellow on an unkempt field. A large windmill turns slowly nearby.

"Where are we?" Carbine asks.

The place looks vaguely familiar, something from someone elses memory. "I think this is Hangdog." Charlie says.

Turning, they see an old house built up on the center of the hill, it's porch sagging. Charlie feels a tingle, not just the recognition from Throttle, this is something different. She knows this house.

"That's Dreamtime." Charlie says.

"Huh?"

"Zees ship. I'm sure it is." She's never seen it from the outside, but it just feels right.

"Meaning..." Charlie says.

"Meaning I bet there's a door right back to Chicago, to the building across from mine." Charlie says. "We just have to find it."

They climb up the steps, past the multicolored signs posted all over the walls, into the yellow kitchen.

An old fashioned phone on the wall rings. Charlie walks over and picks it up, feeling like she's dreaming. "Hello?"

"Directory assistance." A female voice says.

"Um...Chicago?" Charlie says.

A door swings open next to them. "Connected to Chicago. Please enjoy your day." The phone goes dead.

"This place is bizarre." Carbine says as they step through into Zees apartment. The dark forest still grows around them.

"What about our bikes?" Vinnie says suddenly.

"I bet Limburger has them."Carbine says. "He's responsible for all this, after all."

…

"Where are they?" Throttle asks.

"Looks like...back at the garage." Frumplenorf says.

Throttle sighs with relief.

"Oh, come on, you didn't think I was actually going to kill them, did you?" Frumplenorf says. "That rather defeats the purpose, don't you think?"

"Throttle, dear, come control these bikes." Sofia says from the doorway.

Throttle goes downstairs to find three Martian motorcycles growling in the lobby, with goons attempting to hold them. Sweetheart and Little Hoss calm down when he approaches, but Carbines bike growls angrily.

"Easy." He holds his hand out. She rumbles at him and pulls away.

….

"We need a plan." Carbine says, pacing. "And we need some way to defend ourselves against this...whatever it is they're doing."

"Lets go talk to Kode." Charlie suggests.

Several minutes later, Kode says "You need to tell May all of this."

And so they take a door through the ship, and step out onto the comfortable bridge of the Daye where May is sitting with her feet up on a panel.

She listens intently, occasionally asking a question. When they are done she shakes her head. "Wow, that is..that is somethin' else right there. I just don't know...hm. What you need is something that can tangle with these things." She pauses. "You know what you need. You need Alucard."

Diesel appears after May calls for her. As May explains the situation, her ears start to flick back, and finally she ends looking angry.

"Alright, so I think you need to go down there and help them take care of this situation. We'll wait here." May says.

Diesel nods.

….

Modo stands aside from his friends, his face dark, brooding. He's going over the images in his head again and again, though he knows it was just a dream...

Lilly, standing nude before him, reaching for him as she is pulled away. Lilly, who he hasn't dreamed of in years. Something horrible, a terrible hope, glittering somewhere deep inside of him. He closes his eye, presses his fingers against the bridge of his muzzle.

…

They step off of the ship, Al shaking himself back to his full size form. He rolls his large head around on his long cable neck and looks around. Even though he doesn't have a face, his air is of interest.

"Now we have to get back to the tower." Carbine says, looking out over the dark forest.

"No problem." Diesel slaps Al on the leg and he lowers his body. He begins to morph, a bubble opening up in his center, seats wrapping up and settling. "All aboard!"

Al opens his face and she climbs into the cockpit. She feels her body fade away, can feel the mice and Charlie in her belly. She reaches, slides things around, modifying, creating engines, and then Al is a great winged thing leaping into the air, rumbling brightly as he takes flight.

….

"I thought they were gone." Limburger says.

"Oh, they don't have it that easy." Frumplenorf smiles.

The dragon rises up out of the forest, it's huge red mouth opening. It blasts fire at Al, who swings away to avoid it. The bio-mech is changing, taking a more dragon form itself. Al spits a blue-green jet at the dragon, who easily avoids it.

Al lands on the ground. Crouching, his body changing, a huge weapon manifesting from his back. He releases the passenger pod, opens his face to allow Diesel to jump out as he transforms, anchors himself, then fires.

The dragon is hit by the blast and spins in the air, then crashes down to the ground. It lifts it's head, shaking it from side to side, stunned.

"Come on!" Diesel shouts at Al as she climbs into his head. He grabs the passenger pod as he transforms into his standard four-legged body and lopes off.

…

Frumplenorf watches with her hands in her pockets.

"Are you going to do something?" Throttle asks.

"Do you want me to?" Frumplenorf asks.

"No." Throttle says emphatically.

"Yeah, I think I'm done for now. Let's let them get here and we'll see what happens."

…

"It's that blasted machine again!" Limburger screams as Al plunges into the tower.

Frumplenorf steps down into the lobby. Molly trots in at her side.

Al drops the passenger pod, then hunkers down, watching.

Molly starts to bubble up, the dark thing growing out of her back. Al leaps forward, attacking her.

"No!" Frumplenorf screams.

Tentacles burst from Al's stomach and wrap up the struggling dog, pull it inside.

"My dog!" Frumplenorf screams. The power seems to be going out of her.

Carbine sets her weapon to stun and fires, dropping the creature that is Frumplenorf. "Grab her!" She shouts.

Modo moves forward quickly, picks her up and brings her back to the group.

Carbine whistles shrilly and the bikes break free, shooting through the wall to join them. The mice and Charlie mount. Limburger watches, unspeaking, as they retreat with the bio-mech.

…

"They've taken Frumplenorf." Sofia says to Throttle.

Throttle nods. He hopes they don't hurt her to badly.

…

"What in the hell is going on!" Charlie shouts as Frumplenorf starts to move.

"Oh, you know. Just the usual." Frumplenorf rubs her head.

Molly, released from Al, thumps her tail.

"Well, fix it." Charlie demands.

Frumplenorf starts to move, and Carbine aims at her head. "It's not set to stun this time."

"Ok, ok. I'll fix it." Frumplenorf lifts one hand and snaps.

She and the forest are gone, leaving the mice standing just outside the entrance to the garage.

"Is she really gone?" Carbine asks.

Charlie shakes her head. "I have no idea."

"Well, can someone please explain what's going on around here?"

Charlie and the mice exchange looks. "This is gonna take awhile."

….


	18. Chapter 18

18

Carbine listens almost silently. She'd gotten a vague understanding of the ship from Throttle, but he'd been less than forthcoming about the strangers that have apparently been popping up.

"So, they all have some sort of...what, time-space manipulation devices?" Carbine says.

"I suppose so." Charlie says, realizing she hasn't ever thought of it like that.

"It seems like, if they can do that, they should just be able to...pop us out of existence, or take us somewhere far away." Carbine points out.

"I think Karbunkle wants the mice back." Charlie says.

Carbine nods.

"You know, I keep feeling like we missed doing something." Vinnie says.

Modo is sitting to the side, his head down, his face dark. Carbine walks over.

"I saw her." He says, without being asked. "Lilly."

"Oh, Modo." Carbine hesitates, then goes on "You know, it might just have been a...a dream"

Modo nods. "I know."

Diesel tilts her head, her eyes seem to cloud, then she stands up. "Ok, I gotta boogie. Here-" she reaches into her pocket and pulls something out, a handful of tiny blue-green orbs. "Swallow these. They'll insert a communicator into you. So you can talk to me. If you want to, that is." She grins.

Eat me, Charlie thinks, swallowing the little thing. It doesn't make her feel funny, but she does feel a little pop inside of her head, as though there is now a button there. She mentally pushes it and there is the feeling she gets when Throttle opens his mind, a communication channel.

"See, easy." Diesel says. "Ok, well call if you need me. Or Al, I guess."

They watch her onto the ship, and then she is gone.

...

Sofia creeps down into the deep underground of the tower, beneath the foundation, buried, safe from the destruction that is constantly raging overhead. The lab.

She stops with her hand resting on the pod containing Lilly. The mouse floats, suspended in the liquid, every once in a while her fingers or tail move slightly. Sofia checks the readings on a small pad, then smiles to herself.

She steps back into the shadows, moving with purpose.

….

Throttle stands in the room, looking out over the city. Everything has returned to normal. He wonders where Frumplenorf got off to, and if she'll be back.

He hesitates, looks around, then slips through the door into the fire escape, down the stairs, and out into the city.

…

"Carbine. Wake up, babe." Throttle shakes her gently.

Carbine opens her eyes and sits up. "I'm not supposed to talk to you. You're a bad guy." She hisses.

Throttle flicks his ears back, looking so hurt that she throws her arms around him and pulls him to her chest.

"Do they know you're gone?" She asks after a second.

"Mmm. I don't think so." Throttle murmurs.

Carbine giggles. "Stop."

"Hhm?" Throttle pretends not to hear her.

"Quit!" She pushes him away, stifling a laugh.

"Awww." Throttle pouts.

"What are you doing here?" Carbine says, reaching out to ruffle his hair.

"I came to visit you. All romantic-like. Romeo and Juliette." Throttle says.

"Uh-huh. Didn't they die at the end?" Carbine says, fending him off as he reaches for her again.

"I thought that was the romantic part."

Carbine bites her lip to prevent herself from laughing and finally shoves him away. "Come on, be serious. You didn't just sneak away to come make out with me."

"Who said anything about making out?" He arches his eyebrows.

"Throttle..."

"Ok, ok. Look, I know she's evil and all, but Sofia has a plan." He settles down beside her and starts talking.

When he's done, Carbine sighs deeply. "I really, really want to hate her."

"I know." Throttle says.

He starts to get up, but she grabs his arm. "Hey, where do you think you're going? We've got unfinished business."

Throttle turns back, chuckling.

He slides onto the bed beside her, running his hands over her body.

…

"Please tell me you have someone normal." Limburger says to Karbunkle.

"Yes, your (wheeze) fermented creaminess." He pulls the door switch on the transporter and two men step through. "I present to you Mr Black and (wheeze) Mr White."

The two men tall and thin, wearing suits and fedoras, one in white, one in black. Limburger eyes them curiously.

"You don't have any sort of...pandimensional nonsense, do you?"

"Of course not." Mr White adjusts his tie.

"We do things the old fashioned way." Mr Black adds.

"Good, good." Limburger feels himself relax.

…

"You were with her." Sofia sniffs.

Throttle waves her off. "Like you care."

"Hhpf." Sofia says, but she doesn't sound angry. "You know those two clowns, Black and White?"

Throttle frowns. "Suits? Yeah, I know them."

"They're here."

"Really?" Throttle looks mildly worried, then his face clears. "Is this your doing?"

"Of course. They have their orders. This should be extremely entertaining."

…

Black and White stand across from the garage, murmuring to eachother.

"We should blow it up." Black is saying.

"You and your explosives. We should sneak in and take their leader."

"Which one is the leader?"

"I think the female mouse."

"Not the human?"

"Maybe we should take both of them."

"Take both of who?" Carbine asks from above them.

The two strange men blanch, then scuttle away. She watches them leave with a frown on her face. This looks like things are about to get exciting again.

…

Diesel can feel time and space spread around her. She reaches out, touching a vibration, bringing it closer. The Daye slides through the universe silently.

She lets her mind relax, wandering back to her father.

He's standing on the deck when she finishes putting Al away. She stops for a moment, looking at him, then walks up.

"May didn't tell me you worked here." She says.

"I don't think she made the connection."

"So, Mom, she was working for them the whole time?" Diesel asks.

"I think so." Throttle says.

Diesel jerks out of her thoughts as something pings her gently. Frowning, she turns her mind.

…

Patty Davidson flips the paper open and freezes. A familiar picture.

"Dear?" She says, holding it out.

"Limburger Museum Presents Ancient Artifacts." He reads, then looks at the picture. "Well, now there's something I haven't thought about in a long time."

"Do you think it's the original?"

"Didn't our copy get stolen?" He asks.

"Yes, maybe this is that one."

"Or maybe it isn't. We never found it's mate..." He says.

The two of them look at eachother over their cups, eyes worried.

…

"Well, if it isn't my second-favorite pirate." May says as Frumplenorf steps onto the deck.

"I love you, too." Frumplenorf says.

"What are you doing here?" May asks.

"Hey, I have some info. Some stuff you should know about." She jerks her head toward the rear of the ship. "About your old first mate."

"Really, what's that?"

"Sofia's got her claws in him." She says meaningfully.

"Sofia..." May pauses, then recognition sparks on her face. "What does she want with him?"

"His help. She's after Plutark." Frumplenorf says.

"What, the whole thing?"

"Yeah. She's pulling a double-double cross." Frumplenorf says with a grin.

"Well that explains why everybody's suddenly been manifesting out in the middle of nowhere." May says.

Frumplenorf nods. "Just thought you should know."

"Hang on," May says. "How are you involved in all this?"

"Me? I'm just watching." Frumplenorf says.

"No you're not." May says.

"Well, I'm on your side this time. We'll leave it at that."

May watches her leave, sucking on her teeth. She stands for a moment, thinking, then she spins on her heel. "Diesel!" She shouts.

"Yes?" Diesel has been coming up the hall.

"What do you know about this mess on Earth?"

…

Mr Black sits back and examines his new face. Yes, it's perfect, he resembles the mouse down to every detail. He stands up and moves in Throttles body. Beautiful.

With a grin, he heads toward the door.

On his way out, he passes Mr White, who is carefully examining photographs of Vinnie. He lifts a hand, waving him through the door.

…

It's very late. Carbine pricks her ears, listening for the sound again. There it is, somebody picking the lock on the door. She pulls her gun from under her pillow and waits. When the door swings open she relaxes. Throttle steps in.

"Hey." She sits up. "Is everything OK?"

"Come with me." He offers her his hand.

She takes it, standing up, puzzled, as he leads her outside.

…..

"Hm? Vinnie?" Charlie sits up, looking at the shadow in the door.

Vinnie steps in. "Hey, sweetheart. Come with me."

Charlie stands up slowly, looking at him. "Are you OK?"

"Yeah. Come on." He flashes his smile at her and she relaxes.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

….

"My replacement?" Diesel says.

"Temporary." May says quickly.

"Why do I need a replacement?"

"Because you're going on a mission." May says. "You're to assist your father."

"Isn't he working for Limburger right now?" Diesel asks.

"Yep. So you will be, too. For now. I'm sure there's a master plan down there."

"If you don't mind me asking, why are we doing this?" Diesel asks.

"Because I hate those sick fuckers." May growls. "And if we can bring their asses down, I'm behind it. Just don't tell anybody. If anyone asks, you got called away on family business and I don't have a clue what's going on."

"Yes, ma'am." Diesel says.

"And take Al." May adds.

…


	19. Chapter 19

19

"You've got what?" Throttle asks.

"That's right. I'm supposed to assist you. I dunno, tell Karbunkle I reverted or something."

Sofia nods. "That would probably work." She pauses, then smiles. "Can you bring them to the tower?"

Diesel nods. Her eyes cloud slightly.

…

Vinnie and Modo both jerk at the same time, it feels like someone is shaking them.

_Hey, you guys missing someone? _

Vinnie and Modo look around.

_Carbine and Charlie are gone. _Diesel prods them.

They look at eachother, then start inside to get their bikes.

"They're on their way." Diesel says.

Sofia smiles. "Good girl."

…

In the softness of the night, Throttle stops, his hand still around hers.

"What are we doing?"

"Dance with me."

"That's corny as hell. And there isn't any music."

He gives her a look and tugs her hand. Feeling silly she steps up to him and lets him start to rock back and forth, pulling her to his chest. His hands wander over her body, and she relaxes into his arms.

…

"C'mere." Vinnie says.

Charlie hesitates. "What's up with you tonight?"

"I just wanna spend some time with you, alone. Is that so bad?" He curls his ears under and gives her a plaintive look.

"I...didn't think you were interested anymore." Charlie admits.

"No?" Vinnie steps closer.

…

_Be quiet_. Diesel warns as they close in on the tower. Vinnie and Modo shush the motors.

_Come in down here_. Diesel flashes them an image. The mice follow it around to the back and down into an open door.

Down the elevator.

_Are you sure you know what you're doing_? Modo's voice, crackling slightly with the old head injury.

They get into the elevator and ride down what feels like a very long time, until the door opens. They step out into a room full of strange glowing pods. One has been turned on it's side on the floor.

Sofia watches from the shadows as the mice come closer, at last Vinnie peers into the vat. "It's a mouse!"

Modo comes forward and freezes. "It's Lilly."

He leans down, touching her. She stirs, then opens her eyes. She sits up slowly, looking around, sees the mice.

"Modo?" She says quietly.

Modo leans down and kisses her passionately.

Sofia smiles gently. Throttle is standing in the shadows nearby, and when he sees her his smile widens.

"What?" She murmurs, seeing him.

"I didn't know you could still smile like that." Throttle whispers.

"Shut up." Sofia hisses.

The mice turn, hearing them, but Throttle and Sofia melt away into the shadows and are gone.

"Well, we found Lilly. Now I wonder where Carbine and Charlie are?" Modo says.

"Ah, dear, not that I mind running around naked, but could you possibly find me some clothes?" Lilly watches as the young white mouse across the room attempts not to look at her.

…

Carbine pulls back just as Throttle is about to kiss her. "You...you don't smell right." She says.

"What?" Throttle hesitates.

"You're...you're not real." Carbine pushes him away.

Throttle melts, becoming the man in the dark suit she'd seen earlier. He snaps his fingers. "Damn. Always with the smell."

Carbine jerks back, reaching for her gun before she realizes it's back at the shed. When she looks back up he's gone. She looks around but doesn't see him anywhere.

Walking to the edge of the roof she looks over and realizes she has no idea where she is. Peering around the dark city she sees the lights of Limburger tower and orients herself. She can find the garage from there. Damn, they got really far really fast. It's going to take forever for her to walk back home.

Distinctly aware of how vulnerable she is weaponless in a strange city, she drops down to the ground. There aren't many people around, but she reenforces her shield, hardening so that the casual glance beads and rolls away like water from a ducks back. To humans, if they don't look to hard, she looks human. A tall woman with dark hair and a thin scar under her left eye.

….

"Come her, sweetheart." Vinnie says, offering her his hand.

Charlie hesitates, then takes it. He pulls her in, his arms tightening around her. She closes her eyes and presses her face against his chest. His hands slide under her shirt.

…

There is a movement in the shadows, and Vinnie and Modo swing around to see a large shape moving toward them. The thick cables of it's legs are unmistakable.

"Al?" Modo asks.

Lilly, sitting on the side of the tank and buttoning up the lab coat, looks up and her ears flick back uncertainly.

Al steps out, filling the room. His face slides open and they can see Diesel sitting there, looking at them with a strange half smile.

"Hello, mice." She says.

"Diesel? What's going on?" Vinnie asks.

Al's face snaps closed and he surges forward, one foreleg twisting into tentacles as he grabs at them.

"What is that thing!" Lilly gasps, ducking around for cover.

Modo lifts his arm, about to shoot, but he doesn't want to risk harming Diesel.

"What do we do?" Vinnie asks, apparently coming to the same conclusion.

"Where are the girls?" Modo asks loudly.

"They're...safe." Diesels voice.

"Does that mean they're not here?" Vinnie asks.

Al lunges at him and he jumps to the side, barely avoiding the swiping arm. The bio-mech condenses itself down, gaining more room, still huge in the confined space.

….

Throttle's hands clench into fists, and he forces himself not to move. He knows Diesel is just playing cat and mouse with them, but still, it hurts to sit here and watch his friends being tortured. Sofia looks over at him, tilts her head briefly, then touches his arm.

"You wanna step in?" She asks.

….

"Diesel!" Throttles voice. He steps from the shadows behind the tanks. "That's enough."

"Awwww." Diesel says, sounding disappointed.

"Bro! Where are Carbine and Charlie?" Modo asks.

"Black and White have them." Throttle says.

"Who?"

"They'll be disguised." Throttle says.

Something occurs to him and his ears flick back. Disguised. He suddenly feels very worried, but tries to push it away.

"So, how do we find them?"

Throttle almost opens his mouth, then shuts it again. They're going to have to figure that out for themselves.

….

Damn. If only she had some money, Carbine could just take a cab back to the garage. She doubts anybody here will pity her enough to give her a free ride, and if they do she probably doesn't want it.

She pauses, leaning against a wall, then a thought strikes her. She reaches into her mind, feeling for that little switch, then flicks it.

_Hey. _

Vinnie and Modo both jump.

Throttle hears Sofia laugh.

….

Carbine hears the motors approaching and steps out into the street as Vinnie and Modo pull up.

"What happened?" Modo asks.

"Lilly?" Carbine asks, staring at the mouse behind him. She shakes her head quickly, no time for surprise at the moment. She gives them a very truncated recap.

"So, I guess that was Black. That means White has Charlie-girl." Vinnie says.

Carbine nods.

Vinnie pales, then his face twists into a snarl. "We've got to go get her!"

"Easy, Vincent. We don't know where she is." Modo says.

Vinnie finds the communicator switch and calls for her, but is met with nothing. Either something is blocking her, or she's got it turned off.

"Lets go back to the garage and talk to Kode." Carbine says. "Maybe he can trace her communicator."

….

Kodes eyes go blank for a moment, then he opens a display and highlights an area. "Right there."

"Ok, lets go get her." Carbine says. "Lilly, stay here."

Lilly nods. "Be careful."

Modo smiles at her and leans over to kiss her on the forehead.

…

"Ma'am? Info from Sofia."

May looks up and taps the display. Her eyes run down the lines of figures. Her mouth twitches into a smile. "Get me the director."

….

Mr Black slinks through the shadows, watching the mice as they approach White. His dark eyes glitter. This should be very entertaining.

…

"Hey! Get your hands off of her!" Vinnie bellows.

His double steps back, eyes widen, then narrow. His face becomes confused.

Charlie looks from one to the other and takes a step back.

"Did he hurt you?" Vinnie asks.

"Don't go with him, he's a fake!" The other Vinnie says, reaching for Charlie again.

"Oh boy." Carbine says. "Ok, I know how to handle this. Charlie, move."

She pulls her weapon and fires. Vinnie drops.

"Carbine!" Charlie gasps.

"Are you Ok?" Vinnie steps forward. Charlie hesitates.

"Come on, sweetheart." Vinnie holds his hand out, waiting.

The thing on the ground is changing, morphing, briefly becoming a man in a white suit before dematerializing.

"That was weird." Charlie says.

Vinnie is looking at her, clearly worried. She reaches out to touch him. "Hey, I'm Ok."

"What did he do to you?" Vinnie asks.

"Nothing. He didn't do anything." Charlie assures him.

"I get the feeling that's not the last we'll see of him." Carbine says. "And the other one is still running around somewhere."

"What do we do?"

"Go back to the garage for now. Lets figure out a plan. And from now on, nobody is alone. Ever."

The group nods agreement.

….

Mr Black chuckles to himself. Damn sloppy that was. He turns and starts back to the tower.

….

The clock ticks over to midnight. Mr White appears in the tower, gasping and reflexively touching his chest. He adjusts his hat and looks around. Mr Black is seated on a couch, reading the newspaper.

"Well, that went exactly as planned." He says sarcastically.

"I see you did better." White snaps.

Black chuckles. "Now what?"


	20. Chapter 20

20

"Your girlfriend shot me." Mr White says.

Throttle laughs. "Good for her."

"How did she know I wasn't the real Vinnie?" He asks.

"She's smart like that." Throttle says.

…

"Modo, you're with Lilly. Vinnie, stay with Charlie."

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm gonna get to know Kode a little better."

Modo and Lilly walk Carbine to the ship, then go into the shed, leaving Charlie and Vinnie standing in the garage.

….

Charlie stops just inside her bedroom, turning to look at Vinnie. "You wanna sleep up here?"

He steps in, but there's something about his face that is bothering her.

"What?" She asks.

"How could you let him touch you like that?" Vinnie explodes.

"I thought it was you!" Charlie protests.

"But we haven't-"

"I know." It comes out more bitter than she had intended.

Vinnie seems stunned by this. He falls silent. Charlie sits down on the bed. After a second he joins her.

"I...you were so upset when I left..." Vinnie says weakly.

"I know." Charlie moves away from him, wrapping her arms around her knees.

The moment spins out between them, seeming to take up the whole room.

Charlie is drifting to sleep when she feels a hand on her leg. She looks up to see Vinnie peering at her gently. He brushes her hair out of her face, moves closer.

She lowers her legs and reaches for him.

….

Lilly runs her hands over Modo's arm. "My poor boy." She murmurs.

"It's not so bad. Useful." Modo says. "What happened to you?"

"I don't know. One second I was...there was a fight. And then I was here." She runs her hands over her scarred belly. "I don't think I did so well."

"Karbunkle must have taken you." Modo says.

"Tell me what's happened since I left." She sits down beside him.

Modo thinks for a moment, then starts to tell their story.

…

"So, what exactly did this mouse do on Mars?" Limburger asks, rubbing his temples. "Another revolutionary leader?"

"No, your (wheeze) rich creaminess, she was ah...a, ahem, lady of the evening."

"A prostitute?" Limburger asks.

…

"Oh she was not!" Diesel says, then looks over at her father "Was she?"

Throttle looks uncomfortable.

"No way. Oh, wait..." She pauses, thinking "I guess that explains all the girls, doesn't it."

"She wasn't exactly a prostitute." Throttle says finally. "Sort of a..."

"A madam." Sofia provides.

Throttle rolls his eyes, but shrugs, conceding.

"Wow. Who knew." Diesel says. "Hey, why didn't you tell me?"

"You were a bit young for all that." Throttle says.

"Hm." Diesel frowns.

…

"So, what now?" Black asks.

White frowns. "I'm not sure. We could try a disguise again."

"I think they're onto that."

"Indeed. Well, there are always explosives..."

"Very messy."

"True."

They fall silent, each thinking.

….

Modo has talked himself out, and now sits in silence. Lilly hasn't commented much, aside from occasionally asking for clarification. Now she stands up before him and slowly starts to unbutton the lab coat.

Modo reaches out, running his hands up her bare thighs. She doesn't even tense when his mechanical hand brushes over her fur.

The labcoat slides to the floor.

Kode hits the ground with a thump, pushing himself up onto his elbows, glowing blue-green blood dribbling slowly out of the corner of his mouth.

"We know what you're doing." One of the heavy marasats growls, an intact male with thick claws instead of hands.

Kode, neutered as a child, has no defense save for his electric tail, which is of little use against others of his own kind. Still, he curls it like a whip.

There is a sound from behind him, then someone fires a shot. It does more to surprise than threaten, and perhaps not knowing how many are coming they scatter, leaving Kode picking himself up and wiping his mouth.

"What was that all about?" Carbine asks.

"Just politics." Kode says vaguely.

"They don't like you helping us?" Carbine presses.

"It's not that, not really." Kode says. "Did you need something?"

As they step back onto the ship proper, Carbine gives him a brief rundown of what has been happening. Kode listens with his ears farther back than usual.

"You guys seem to be brushing them off, but Black and White are no laughing matter." He says.

The tone in his voice sends a chill through her spine.

"You know what we should do?" Mr White says suddenly.

"Hm?" Black has been napping on the couch with his hat pulled down over his eyes.

"We should take them onto our turf."

"Oh really, and how are we supposed to do that?"

"Let's talk to our host, shall we?"

Mr Black rolls to his feet. "Alright, well, that's the only plan we have..."

...

"Have you tried updating the drivers?" Diesel asks.

"What?" Throttle looks up from his glasses to see her glittering aural form.

"Drivers. For the software. On your eyes." He can tell she's waving a hand toward him, thin tendrils of energy drifting off and melting into the air in his direction. "You know, little programs that tell them how to work?"

"I don't think they work that way." Throttle says.

Diesel shrugs. "Never know. Works on the ones from UV-Tek. You should talk to Kode."

Sofia sits with Mr Black and Mr White and listens to them as they talk. She smiles slowly, then nods. This will be entertaining, all right.

She picks up her communicator and dials a code. A moment later, a familiar deadlocked form appears.

"Yo." Frumplenorf says.

"We need a transport." Sofia says.

"To where?"

Sofia tells her. Frumplenorf grins, then laughs. She turns and shouts offscreen "Molly!"

….


	21. Chapter 21

21

The sky is the color of a used dishtowel draped across the high buildings of a city painted in shades of gray. The damp streets reflect the glow of neon signs. A deep fog is rolling in from the sea, a fog that carries with it a mystery.

...

She's a shapely dame, got legs that go all the way up. All the way up under the short black skirt she wears.

She sits down across from me, pulls a cigarette out of a thin case. "I got a job for you."

"I ain't for hire." I lean over and offer her a light.

She takes a long drag. "It's about your friends. Word on the street is Mr Black and Mr White are looking for them."

"Why?"

"That's for you to find out."

…

The Last Chance Bar sits alone on the dark street, golden light shining through the spitting rain. Charlene is behind the bar, with Vincent and Modo, her regulars, sitting on bar stools nursing their drinks.

"Fancy seeing your face around here." Carbine is a tall piece of work, with dark hair and bright eyes.

"Heard you have a little problem." I strike up a cigarette.

"Problem? We got a ton of problems, brother, and you're one of them." Modo is a big broad lug, full of muscle. "Now you got business elsewhere to attend to?"

"Maybe I do, brother, maybe I do." I say, tipping my hat back. "But it seems you got some business of your own going on."

"We can take care of our problems ourselves." Charlene straightens up, gives me a look that could cook a steak medium rare.

"Hey, babe, how about we go out sometime?" I direct this at Carbine.

"You over Sofia yet?" She snaps back.

"Oh, you know she's got me good."

"Well, when you get her declawed, you give me a call."

Back out the street the rain has picked up, pounding down and I make a run to the car. Starting the engine I pause to look back at the bar.

...

Back at my office in Limburger Plaza, I sit down to make some calls, but get the cold shoulder. Somebody's been shutting mouths but good.

Sofia comes in without knocking, stands in the middle of my office. "Hey, loverboy, come have a drink with me."

The smoke drifts around Freds bar in silken waves as the band plays. I sit beside her at the bar. The bartenders name is a bit of an oddball but a good guy all around. Brings me a drink without being asked.

"So tell me about Mr Black and Mr White." I say.

She pauses, thinks for a second, then says "Well, first off, they can't die."

"No?" I look down into my drink. "How so?"

"When you kill them, they come back. Always. At midnight, local time." She takes another drag, blows smoke slowly, thinking.

"And what are they after?"

"Those mice at your friends bar." She nods her head in the vague direction of the Last Chance. "They want them."

"Why?"

She shrugs. "Being paid, I'd imagine." She stands up. "Come dance with me."

"No thanks, babe. I'm taken."

…

I decide to swing back by the office on the way home. When I walk up the door is open a crack. Pulling my gun, I step in. Someone is sitting in the chair behind my desk. She swings around slowly and looks at me from under long dark hair.

"Carbine." I holster my weapon.

"I decided to take you up on your offer." She stands up, walks over and pulls my tie loose.

I pull her to me and kiss her deeply, her arms wrapping around my neck. She pulls me toward the desk, strips off my jacket.

She is soft and warm under me, yeilding to my touch. Pressing her mouth hard against mine, mind groping, connecting.

Far above us, the sky clears and stars shine above the city.

…

"So tell me about Mr Black and Mr White." I'm buttoning up my shirt.

She slides her dress back down over her hips. "You probably know more about them then we do."

"Rumor is they can't die."

"Well, I shot one. Is he back?"

"Apparently so." I light a cigarette.

"It's high time you came back to us." She rests a hand on my shoulder.

"Don't I know it, babe. Don't I know it."

….

Later that night the phone rings. I roll over, groggy, grab it from the night stand and mutter a hello.

"It's Kode and Carbine. They're missing." Charlene's voice.

"I'll be right over." I dress in the dark, slide into my shoes, grab my gun and I'm out the door.

….

Somebody turned the ship over but good. I step back into it's recesses, a world of dark tubes and glowing fungi. The door in the back is closed and locked.

"How long have they been gone?"

"I'm not sure." Charlene says. "We just realized and called you."

"It's Mr Black and Mr White." I say. "Now we have to find them. Vincent, Modo, can I trust you to help me?"

"Of course."

"So, does Sofia know you're here?" Charliene asks me, leaning back on a tool table and lighting a cigarette.

"She's the one who tipped me off." I say.

"Really. That seems unusual."

Only from where you're standing, I think.

Sofia and I have a history. A long one that spans the galaxy. Every time I convince myself she's truly evil she does the right thing, and sometimes I have to remind myself it's for the wrong reasons.

"You need to drop that crazy dame and come back to us."

I shake my head. "You saw what she did to Carbine last time. And she can do worse."

She breathes out smoke, stares at the patterns it forms in the still air. "How?"

"Same way we talk." I motion to my antenna.

"Can you guys do that?"

I light a cigarette, take time to think. "Vincent and Modo, no. Me, maybe." I leave the words _but I won't _floating in the smoke, unsaid.

….

I decide I need to have a talk with the big boss. I ride the elevator up to the top floor, the secretary sees me and buzzes me in.

"I do enjoy this place, Karbunkle." Mr Limburger is saying, sitting with his feet up on his desk.

Dr Karbunkle turns to look at me when I enter. "Ah, Throttle. Have you reconsidered letting me (wheeze) adjust your eyes again?"

"No thanks, doc, these are just fine." I say, then turn to Limburger "So, word is your clowns took a couple of my friends."

"Did they? Hmm, how devious." He steeples his hands on the desk, drums his fingers together, regards me with a fishy stare "I'm sure if you can convince your...friends...to turn themselves in, we could make some sort of arrangement."

"No go, fishface. They'll never go for something like that."

"Well, then, I'm afraid you're out of luck." He smiles at me with perfect white teeth.

I need a drink. I head down to the bar.

The yellow air is hazy with smoke, and a female voice floats through the undulating layers like light through fog. I sit down, watching her as she sways gently, singing.

When she's done I lift my hands, clapping, clenching my cigarette between my teeth, and slide down toward the stage. The goon at the door to the back knows me, jerks his head for me to enter. I knock on the dressing room door.

"Come in." She says. She's sitting in front of the mirror, turns when I come in. "Hey, Pops."

"You sound wonderful." I lean down to hug her.

"Flattery will get you everywhere." She says.

"Hey, I have a favor to ask. Can you trace Carbine and Kode?" I ask.

She frowns. "Me? Ah...they aren't open. But I can get them traced. Why, is something wrong?"

"Black and White nabbed them."

"Oh, well you don't need a trace for that. They're in the old warehouse."

"Which old warehouse?"

"There'll only be one." She tilts her head to the side. "Haven't you figured it out yet? The rain, the gray scale, your voice over..."

"What?"

"We're in Noir." She says.

"Noir?"

"It's Black and White's world. Just, trust me, go ask Charlie where the abandoned warehouse it. It's probably near the water. More dramatic that way." She adjusts her top then stands up "Well, I gotta get out there again."

I stand and watch her leave, frowning.

Noir?

…

"The old warehouse? Sure, I know where that is." Charlene says.

"Well, Diesel says that's where they'll be."

"Lets go check, then." Vincent says.

"I'm coming with you." And this time, we can't dissuade her.

….

The lot is full of rotting machinery, rusting hulks like the carcases of gigantic animals caught in a catastrophic extinction. The road potholed, the sky is a uniform gray. The warehouse crouches at the end of the road, an ugly beast with lopsided eyes and a half-opened mouth of a garage door.

We walk in and sure enough, there are Carbine and Kode, tied in the middle of the room, both looking worse for wear. I start to step in all the way, then check myself.

Something moves in the shadows. Mr Black and Mr White, sliding out. One triggers a remote and the doors slam shut behind us.

"Nice of you to stop by." Mr Black says.

"Let them go."

"Sure thing, just turn over your buddies there."

"Nothing doin." Vincent says.

"Yeah, we ain't goin with you." Modo adds.

"You heard them. Not interested."

"Then the girl gets it."

"Wait!" Charlene hisses. "Throttle, this is Noir World, right?"

"Apparently."

"The love interest always dies in these things! That's her! Carbine is going to die!"

Clapping from the shadows, and then she steps out, the demon in mouse skin. Sofia is giving us her smile that means she knows she has me caught.

Carbine is moving, struggling, and then I see the ropes falling away. She's on the ground.

"No!" I hear myself shout.

Then there is the hollow bang of a shot, and Carbine falls. The world goes silent.

I don't see them anymore, don't hear their shouts as I run over, drop to my knees, lift her in my arms. She gasps, reaches out to touch me, then coughs violently.

"Shit." She gasps.

"No, stay with me." I touch her face.

I hear gunfire behind me and realize Vincent, Modo and Charlie have attacked Black and White. I pull Carbine out of the line of fire, tug her jacket open looking for her wound. Blood has blossomed over her dress.

Mr Black drops, vanishes. Mr White follows.

"Carbine..." Her hand drops away.

I lay her down on the cement, sit there on my knees looking at her. Her body is still, her face serene.

I stand up, light a cigarette, turn and start to walk back out toward the city, feeling numb.

"Throttle. Where are you going?" Charlene asks me.

"I need a drink."

...

Fred slides the glass over to me when I sit down."Errr, hard day, huh?" He asks.

"Buddy, you don't know the half of it." "Word is your, er-hur-urp girlfriend bought it." Fred leans on the counter. "Maybe she did, maybe she didn't." I light a cigarette. "What's it to you?"

"Hehe I, urp, forget." He says.

I pull back, give him a good blow to the head. "Hrrr, yeah, I remember now." He rubs his head, his eyes ecstatic. "Theres an- urp- rumor going around. She ain't really dead. She's one of them now"

"You're telling me she's still alive?"

"Hehe, Maybe for now." He reaches for a glass, starts to wipe it out. "Thanks, Fred." I toss a bill on the bar. "Keep the change."

As I step back into the night, I feel a spring returning to my step. Out into the city, the gray city where rain spits from a dishcloth sky, and the puddles reflect neon light.


End file.
